


Solstice

by darthmelyanna, miera



Series: stargate_ren [5]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Renaissance, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-21
Updated: 2006-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-06 20:15:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 23,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12825252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darthmelyanna/pseuds/darthmelyanna, https://archiveofourown.org/users/miera/pseuds/miera
Summary: The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year, and Atalan's foremost holiday.  With gifts being exchanged, clandestine rendezvous, a ball, and secrets coming to light, the first public celebration of Queen Elizabeth's reign is sure to be one to remember for many years to come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a giant ball of fluff. It probably still is, but a plot of some variety wiggled its way in. It's also embarrassingly long, so we're posting Parts I and II today, and will post the last two parts in a couple days.

  
As the last days of the year slipped by, the gloomy, rain-soaked weather passed away. The skies cleared, and the temperature dropped. A few days before Solstice, John of Sheppard woke to find a blanket of white snow had fallen over the land.

He stood in the archway leading to one of the gardens, looking over the strange sight. A week had passed since his illness had supposedly ended, but only now was John feeling his full strength return. The epidemic had faded as the weather changed, and while there had been some deaths, the number had not been nearly as high as it could have been. The mood in the palace seemed cheerful for the first time since the attack on Hoff. With the Solstice holiday coming ever nearer, the energy level was becoming frantic. Evergreen boughs covered in garland and ribbons festooned the castle walkways, candles and lanterns sparkled along all the public corridors, and great preparations for the holiday feasting were underway in the kitchens.

The palace was also abuzz with secrets as people prepared gifts to exchange on Solstice Day. John's only two close acquaintances in court were the queen and Lady Teyla. He had ventured to the markets in town two days ago and found an ornate, ceremonial dagger to give to Teyla (something of a private joke between them), but he could think of nothing to present to Elizabeth that would be appropriate and also express what he wished her to know.

"Please do not tell me you have never seen snow before, sir," a voice said behind John. Turning, he found Rodney McKay, the shipwright who was supervising the rebuilding of Atalan's navy, coming forward. "I understood you had traveled a great deal."

John shrugged. "I have seen snow before, but not often and not for some time."

"I imagine it was not common in Caldora," Rodney said, scooping up a handful of the snow. John tensed, staring uneasily at the other man. Few people in the palace had broached the subject of his birthplace since his return to Atlantis, but he had been ill for some days. He feared he would need to prepare himself for all manner of jibes and comments from the rest of the court now that he was no longer confined to his bed.

It took a moment for Rodney to notice John's expression, but when he did he rolled his eyes. "I was making a rational observation, sir, nothing more. The climate there is much warmer than here, is it not?"

"Indeed." John relaxed slightly. "Is Iolan this cold?"

Rodney tossed the ball of white snow outward. It did not go far before it disintegrated and he sighed, not appearing surprised. The snow was too fluffy to hold together. "Almost. The capital is slightly farther south than Atlantis."

Something in Rodney's face struck John. "Do you miss it?"

The shipwright glanced at him and then turned away. "I did not think I would," he said slowly. "My designs have never been given their due merit there, except by the prince. I was eager to be someplace where my ideas would be welcomed, where I could be useful." Rodney folded his hands under his arms. "My sister remains in Iolan, and I cannot stop thinking that she is alone. Solstice Night was always a favorite of hers."

John folded his lips together, saying nothing. His own family, the brothers he would never see again, and his parents, had been in his thoughts of late as well. When he had been deemed fit by Doctor Beckett, he had endured a private interview with the queen, telling her the salient pieces of his history in Caldora so that no further ugly surprises would disrupt the friendship he hoped fervently to rebuild. He had seen a wistful expression, not unlike the one on Rodney's face now, when he spoke of his family to her. Queen Elizabeth's parents had been dead for a decade, and she had no siblings living. Her court was something of a family to her, but only Lord Daniel Jackson remained alive of her blood relations. John had observed enough to know that the Duke of Langford loved his cousin dearly, but perhaps due to the gap in their ages, his affection did not translate to companionship most of the time.

All three of them, John thought, shared this sense of isolation.

Before he could speak, indeed, before John could formulate a sentence that was appropriate, he heard a woman's voice call out: "Master McKay, I am surprised to find you dawdling in a garden when there is so much work to do, as you constantly remind us all."

Lady Samantha Carter walked up to them, a heavy cloak wrapped about her. She eyed Rodney, her expression half-amused and half-condescending.

Rodney instantly transformed into the more abrasive version that John and the rest of the court were used to. "Perhaps I am standing here generating yet another brilliant innovation that will save us weeks of work and quite possibly many lives. You, my lady, would have no way of knowing."

Irritation flickered in Samantha's blue eyes, but she shrugged, turning and heading down a corridor towards the far side of the palace. "Very well. You were so insistent that you needed to be present to inspect the timbers being brought from the mainland today for the crossbeams in the keel, I naturally assumed you would have headed for the shipyard at first light. My error, obviously."

Rodney began to hurry after Samantha with a speed that was comical.

* * *

  
Deep in a store room, Kate cursed her foolishness. This was madness! How could she get all of these boxes out by herself without breaking something or even causing injury to her own person? Why had she come down here alone, thinking she could save time by sending Laura to coordinate with the kitchen staff on the upcoming feasts?

She gritted her teeth as she struggled to get out, her arms stacked with decorations. Why had she not thought to bring a few servants with her to assist in this? Why had she not recalled Lord George's comment that the ornaments for a true Solstice celebration were rather extensive?

"Lady Katherine?"

She stopped and struggled to look beyond the decorations in her arms. "Sir John?" she replied.

The knight appeared at her left, looking at her bewilderedly. "My lady, what are you doing?"

Kate smiled tightly. She started to shift slightly to give him her attention, but gasped when some of the decorations began to sway in her arms. They began to fall–

Only to be intercepted by John's quick reflexes. Before she could utter a word, he grasped several of the boxes and took them into his arms, relieving Kate of a significant portion of her burden.

Once she was certain he had a steady hold, she smiled, relieved. "Thank you," she said. "I fear my haste to get everything back to the queen's apartments overrode my common sense."

"It is nothing," he dismissed as they started walking farther away from the storage room. "But why did you not have someone come down here with you? Surely not everyone is too busy to assist you."

Kate shook her head, maneuvering through the throngs of travelers and servants bustling about. A number of people were looking at Sir John and whispering, but she ignored them. "I fear I was unaware just how much actually needed to be removed. It has been many years since Atlantis has hosted such a celebration." She smiled ruefully. "I am afraid that I did not consider just where all of those decorations came from nor the work involved in bringing them out."

"Solstice has not been celebrated these past years, then?" he inquired.

"Oh, it has," she assured him. "There just has not been a public celebration. Lord Robert," she said with some bitterness, "did not believe that the treasury had the resources for such a grand event, though a small, private party could be afforded."

"I see," was John's tactful reply. Kate refrained from saying anything further. Both of them were well aware of Kinsey's deeds during his regency. Refusing a public celebration during Solstice was hardly his greatest crime, but she thought it rather cruel and self-serving.

"I'm sorry, Sir John," she said suddenly, changing the subject. "You obviously came down here for a reason other than to help me bring these decorations back to her Majesty's apartments. Is there something I can do for you?"

Much to her surprise, Kate watched him blush slightly. "Uh, yes," he admitted, "there was something I wanted to ask you about…" He trailed off, hesitating.

"Yes?" she prompted gently.

"I… wish to obtain a gift for her Majesty for Solstice," John said slowly. "I recall her delight in some of the gifts she received at her coronation, but obviously most of them are beyond my means. I thought perhaps you could give me some advice?"

Kate smiled. She too remembered Elizabeth's pleasure in some of the tokens sent to her when she was at last crowned as queen. Her particular favorite had been the _Queen Margaret_ , the new flagship for her navy sent by Radek of Iolan, though topping a ship would be quite out of the question.

"I understand," she replied. "The best counsel I can offer you is that the queen appreciates gifts that have had thought put into them. She is given jewelry so often that both the gift and the giver run together with all the rest. But unusual presents, ones that are given in true good spirit and with thought to her own frame of mind, are often the ones she appreciates the most."

Kate watched the knight nod, his expression thoughtful. She continued, "I don't know if that is any help to you -"

"Oh, it is," John hastened to assure her. "I will just rely on what I know of her Majesty's character. Thank you."

She smiled. "You're welcome, Sir John."

They continued their trek to the queen's apartments in a comfortable silence. When they finally arrived, there were a few servants on hand who immediately bustled forward and took the boxes off their hands. Once her hands were free, Kate turned to him. "Thank you again, Sir John. If you had not appeared when you did, I most likely would never have made it back here without dropping everything."

He bowed. "It was no trouble at all, my lady. I must also thank you for your advice. I will keep it in mind."

Kate watched John depart, her curiosity piqued. She was looking forward to seeing what the knight would come up with for Elizabeth's gift. Just what would he find for her this close to Solstice?

* * *

  
The gates leading into the main courtyard of the palace were already open when Sir Jacob Carter completed his journey across the land bridge from Athos to Atlantis. He nodded silently in thanks to the guards who stood on the walls.

The main courtyard was always a hive of activity during the daylight hours, but today it was even more so. Jacob spotted various servants carrying armfuls of kindling off, undoubtedly for the bonfire on Solstice Night. He also spotted several men that he recognized making their way across the open space, all in deep discussion. Not wishing to address anyone before reporting to the sovereign, he passed by as unobtrusively as possible, heading to the private wing of the castle to call upon the queen.  
  
As he got closer to the royal chambers, the black-clad guardsmen grew more frequent, though none of them stopped him. He strode up to the captain, with his gold epaulettes and fourrageres making him stand out among the rest, and said, "Good day to you, Captain Lorne."

The captain of the queen's guard bowed to him politely and smiled. "And to you, Sir Jacob."

"I realize that I am here unannounced," Jacob said, "but does her Majesty have a moment to receive my report?"

Lorne nodded. "She is free at the moment, sir." He turned and opened the door, entering the room. Faintly, Jacob could hear the man say, "Majesty, Sir Jacob has arrived and requests a word with you."

"Indeed? Send him in, Captain!"

Jacob laughed quietly, hearing the excitement in the queen's voice. She sounded very well, which was a relief given what Hammond had sent him in his periodic letters about the unpleasant revelation of Sir John's Caldoran heritage.

When Lorne reappeared and gestured for him to enter, Jacob stepped inside the receiving chamber. There he found Elizabeth, Laura, and Kate all standing before him with brilliant smiles. He bowed. "Your Majesty, my ladies, I bring you seasons' greetings from the Tok'ra."

"I accept them," the queen replied. She then stepped forward, and held out her hand. "Sir Jacob, it is wonderful to see you returned home."

Jacob took her hand in his own and kissed it fondly. "Thank you, Majesty. It is wonderful to be home." He smiled at the two other ladies. "Laura, Kate, I hope you are both well."

Laura grinned at him. "As well as can be expected, Sir Jacob, with all the… various goings on with the fine lords of the college."

The other lady-in-waiting gave the younger woman a look, and then smiled pleasantly at him. "We are well, thank you."

"Is there any urgent message that the Tok'ra council has sent to me?" the queen inquired.

Some of Jacob's good cheer receded and he straightened. "They have obtained some new intelligence on the movements of the Goa'uld," he reported seriously. "They are aware that this is a time of great importance to us, just as it is to them, but they also felt that it was important for you to be made aware of this. We can go over the reports I have brought home with me at another time, if you would prefer, Majesty."

Elizabeth nodded. "That will be fine, then. Nearly everyone is delaying giving me everything that is not of immediate importance." She shrugged. "Many of the lords are preparing to make their way home, while many of the others are preparing their apartments for the arrival of their wives and children. They are eager to see the revels resume here in Atlantis."

Jacob smiled. He could recall the celebrations given during the reign of King Edmund. Solstice had been Queen Margaret's favorite holiday and every year since their marriage in the second year of her husband's reign, she always prepared elaborate festivities for all those on the island. During the years of Kinsey's regency, the great parties faded away in favor of his own private gatherings for his inner circle, giving out only small tokens to the people, if that. But now that Atalan once again had its true ruler, the traditional merriments were returning under the hand of the new queen.

"If there is nothing else, Majesty," he said, "I would like to find my daughter."

Elizabeth's cheery smile shifted into a smirk. "I think you'll find that things have… developed, in regard to Samantha's duties."

He stared at her somewhat suspiciously. He corresponded with his daughter while he was out of the country, which, admittedly, was more often than he really preferred, and he had been thinking for a while that Samantha was being much vaguer in her letters than she normally had been in the past.

"I see," he said slowly. "Well then, could you point me in the right direction so that my daughter can finally explain what she has gotten up to?"

Elizabeth's smile, along with that of both of her ladies, was gleefully mischievous.

* * *

  
Samantha Carter gritted her teeth in frustration. She kept telling herself that Elizabeth would be very displeased if she strangled the Iolanian shipwright Prince Radek had so graciously loaned to Atalan to rebuild the debilitated navy. Rodney McKay had a very important part to play in restoring the country to its former glory. Wringing his neck and pushing the body into the water would bring all that to a grinding halt.

But still, the temptation was there nearly all the time. Such as now.

"Master McKay," she said with deliberate slowness, "perhaps you did not read my lists and figures carefully enough. Captain Pendergast has gathered over fifty workers right here on the island, and has sent scouts out to search for more along the coast. We have been informed that we will have seventy-seven more here right after Solstice. I do not see a problem with ordering more supplies to be delivered beforehand."

McKay shook his head as he looked out over the dockyards, which were a veritable hive of activity. "Ordering the supplies only to have them sitting there during the celebrations is asking for trouble. It will be just as easy to have the supplies delivered after everything ends. And we won't have to worry about ensuring constant security while everyone is eating, drinking, and being merry," he said sardonically.

"But getting them over here will mean that when the men return to work and the new workers arrive we can get right to work much more quickly," Samantha argued vehemently. "If we wait and keep the supplies on the mainland, then there is still a good chance that there could be tampering, or even destruction, at the hands of the Wraith if there should be an attack. That could set us back for weeks!"

"My lady, did you not tell me when we ordered those supplies that they would be hidden in safe places away from known Wraith targets?" he snapped impatiently, finally turning to face her fully. "Unless you were mistaken in that claim, then how is it a problem to leave them there until after these little parties her Majesty insists on giving? They're staying where they are."

Not waiting for her to say anything further, McKay turned around and started shouting down at several workers. "You! Be careful with those beams! Drop those and they'll go right through the boards of the dock, and then where would we be?!" He then left her standing there, alone, intent on berating them further.

Samantha fumed. McKay was insufferable even in the best of circumstances, but as they all came up on the solstice, he grew more and more irritable and more difficult to work with. She might attribute most of his bad temper to being away from his home country and his family during the holidays, but she was fast running out of –

"Samantha!"

Her blue eyes widened and she whirled around, all thoughts of Rodney McKay immediately driven from her mind as she spotted a single figure hurrying towards her from where the docks connected with land.

"Father!" Samantha swept the skirt of her working dress up and ran, meeting Jacob halfway to be swept up in a hug. He had been able to only write her the most sporadic letters during this most recent absence. She had not even been certain if he would come home for Solstice. But he was here.

After several moments, Jacob finally pulled back and looked at her searchingly. "I take it you're down here for a reason?" he asked. "The queen was rather mysterious about your whereabouts and new duties. They must be important if they were able to persuade you to give up time in that laboratory of yours."

Samantha grinned. "You might say that," she replied, moving to his side and wrapping her arm around his waist as his went around her shoulder. She led him back the way she had come from, waving her free hand out in front of them. "The queen has made the reconstruction of the navy a top priority, and given the state that the dockyards had been left in, it was clear that it would take more than just a Iolanian shipwright."

"I don't think anyone in their right mind would dispute that," Jacob interjected. Many areas of Atalan's governance had been left to suffer and fall apart during Kinsey's tenure, and the dockyards were just one example of that.

She nodded and continued. "Jack recalled Lionel Pendergast to Atlantis to give us an honest assessment of the facilities and his advice in how to best go about rebuilding where needed while also beginning ship construction. Her Majesty assigned me to assist in requisitioning supplies from various parts of Atalan, as well as helping Captain Pendergast find workers."

The two came to a halt along the railing where they had an excellent view of the work being done.

"Lionel Pendergast, you say," Jacob repeated thoughtfully. "I remember him from the war. He was wounded in the Battle of the Bridge. Lost his leg, if I remember correctly, but his crew saved many lives that day. Stopped the Ori from gaining a foothold on the land bridge. They started retreating after that battle."

Samantha nodded. "That would be him. He's down there now, talking to several carpenters, I believe. The men are finishing their work today and won't be back until after the celebrations end."

"I see. Well, then that gives you and me some time together, then, doesn't it?"

She started, surprised. "How long are you staying?" she asked.

"For quite a while, unless my presence is requested by the Tok'ra council," Jacob answered. "I think until at least the spring." He smiled at her teasingly. "Any objections, daughter? I can always arrange with her Majesty to return early -"

Samantha cut him off by hurling her arms around him again, clasping him to her. "None at all," she said empathetically into his ear. She closed her eyes. He had been gone so much in the last few years, working so hard to keep Atalan's alliances with many of her neighbors strong, despite the lack of support coming from the government. She knew he had been carrying out his duty, just as she had been by remaining here working for Jack and keeping a close watch on Elizabeth, but she had missed her father terribly. "It is so wonderful to have you home," she whispered into his ear.

His grip around her waist tightened for a moment. "I am happy to be home, blue eyes," he replied, calling her by her old childhood name. "Indeed I am."

* * *

  
The afternoon after Sir Jacob Carter's return to court, John found himself with nothing to do, so he wandered toward the workroom where McKay and Lady Samantha were formulating their plans for the navy. He did not alleviate the strange tension between them by much, but he found that he greatly enjoyed harassing them both under the guise of helping.

He passed by the ballroom, however, and heard a melody that sounded somewhat familiar, so he turned from his way to look inside. The guards stationed at the door gave him a stern look but let him enter anyway. The cavernous room held perhaps a dozen people, from a nervous-looking young man with a violin to Lord Daniel. The couple on the dance floor commanded his attention almost immediately, however. The queen, in a dark blue gown, was dancing with a man John had never seen before.

John had danced with her once at the coronation ball, of course, and had watched her enough to know she was an extraordinarily graceful woman. But somehow he suspected that he would never grow weary of watching her move. Motion seemed to perfect the lushness of her long, dark hair, the elegance of her soft, womanly figure, and the brightness of her wide, green eyes. She was a handsome woman when she stood still; when she danced, she was a thing of pure beauty.

Most of the time, at any rate. At the moment it seemed that she was learning a new dance from the young man who was her partner. He spoke with her patiently, giving her instruction, but the dance was a complicated one. John remembered learning steps not unlike these many years earlier and remembered treading on his poor partner's toes so much that she would not speak to him for many days after. There should have been a sort of mathematical precision to the dance, a logic to the steps, but they seemed to elude the queen.

As quietly as he could, John moved over to where Marcus Lorne stood, not far off from the queen's ladies-in-waiting. "What is going on?" he asked.

Lorne gave him a critical look, but then smirked. "It has been a decade since the court has seen a Solstice ball such as the queen will be giving this year," he explained in a low voice. "Apparently, the tradition is that the highest lady in the land opens the ball with this dance. Somehow her Majesty was never taught it."

"Aha," John replied.

"Thankfully, Peter Grodin – that gentleman there – seems to know every dance ever invented," Lorne added. "I know he taught all three of the ladies the etiquette of such royal functions a few years ago, so it is not surprising that the queen would send for him."

John looked back at Elizabeth just in time to see her turn to the right instead of to the left, colliding with Grodin instead of twirling away from him. The gentleman was gracious in steadying her, but John recognized well enough the look of frustration on her face. Kate saw it too, and she stepped forward quite casually and said, "My lady, perhaps we should let the violinist rest his fingers a while."

Everyone in the room knew what Kate was actually suggesting, but they all went along with the pretense, and Elizabeth walked toward the edge of the room, where all the spectators were gathered. "You seem to be having some difficulty with your feet this afternoon, cousin," Lord Daniel teased.

Elizabeth scowled at him. "I am not even certain what the point of this is," she replied. "None of you gentlemen but Jack actually know the dance, and he flatly refused to dance it with me at the ball. How am I to open the ball if I have no partner, whether I know the steps or not?"

"Perhaps you should put out a notice," Lord Jonathan said, "calling all gentlemen – eligible ones, at least, and you may stipulate their handsomeness – who know this dance to come and audition to be your partner."

She rolled her eyes at that suggestion, and while the others laughed, John leaned over to Lorne and said, "I know this dance. Do you not?"

He had chosen precisely the wrong confidante, though he supposed later that with the light mood in the room, he should not have told anyone. "My lady," Lorne announced, rather loudly, "Sir John has informed me that he knows the steps."

Elizabeth turned to him sharply. It was evident that she had not noticed his presence. "Sir John," she said, "is this true?"

John nodded once, feeling uncomfortable with every eye in the room on him. "I learned this dance, or something like it, when I was rather young," he replied. The others' gazes grew surprised, and John decided a direct approach would be better than an apology. "You share a border with Caldora. Do not act so astonished."

Elizabeth tilted her head, looking mildly chagrined. "A valid point."

"Majesty," Grodin said from behind her, "perhaps you would benefit from a different partner."

"Or do you mean that your toes will benefit?" she asked with a small smile.

"I did not say that," he replied in kind. "But if I can observe, then perhaps I can discover your problem with the dance."

She cast a dubious glance at Grodin and then at John. "If my lord is willing," she said, offering him a way out.

He didn't take it. "I am at your service, my lady."

He extended his hand to her, and she clasped it firmly. With as much decorum as he could muster, John led her back to the floor, ignoring the stares of the others gathered at the side while Grodin instructed the musician to take up his instrument again. At the opening chord, John held both her hands and bowed. She curtseyed in return, and they began the dance.

He would not exaggerate their display of skill: they both stepped on the other's toes a fair number of times. But Elizabeth seemed determined to make it through the dance without a major blunder. When the melody changed and he led her far across the dance floor, she looked at him in surprise, as it seemed that there were some differences in the dance between Atalan and Caldora. But she followed his lead, her hand warm in his as he twirled her around the room.

Somewhere in the middle of it all, their eyes met. He remembered the words of the crusty old dance master from all those years earlier, that gentlemen and ladies did not drown in each other's gazes unless they wished to be the objects of unflattering rumors, but John found that he could not look away from her. Though the steps of the dance were difficult and they both made mistakes, they seemed to spend more time staring at each other than looking anywhere else. She did not smile, but he had not seen her look at him so openly since the morning of her coronation.

Given everything that had transpired in the interim, he was not surprised that his heart sped up with her in his arms and looking at him thus.

The song's ending came as a surprise to them both, it seemed. They were supposed to bow to each other at the end, but John missed his cue to release her. For long moments they stood in the silence, staring at each other and unmoving. It was not until Grodin started commenting on Elizabeth's performance that they broke away, suddenly avoiding eye contact.

John bowed to her and walked back to the group at the side. Lord Daniel and Jack were both watching him warily. He himself felt rather unsettled by the whole thing, for he was not sure why he so often set the normal rules of propriety aside when he was with the young sovereign. By all logic he knew, the opposite should have been the case.


	2. Chapter 2

  
After the dancing lesson, most of the group was to reconvene in Elizabeth's sitting room. George had some matters he wished to discuss with the queen. As she was likely to fight them on at least one of the issues, he had called in everyone as reinforcement. George had not been in the ballroom, but Jack had sent word to him by Sir Jacob about the issue of her partner for the first dance. Jack was not sure which topic she would be most opposed to, but given the display she and Sir John had just put on in the ballroom, he found himself hoping that it was not the first dance.

Daniel looked absurdly nervous, Jack realized with some amusement as he entered the sitting room. Jack wasn't certain that Elizabeth actually planned to push the idea of opening the ball with John of Sheppard. She had mentioned it before they left the ballroom, but seemed to be joking at Sir John's expense. The knight seemed to be good on his feet in regard to the dance, but the queen was still very much attuned to the political atmosphere. Daniel, however, was taking the whole matter with the utmost gravity. Jack was torn between wanting to laugh at his friend and wondering if the man was right to be worried about his cousin's intentions.

Jack sat down in one of the chairs scattered around the room, eyeing Daniel as he paced the room. "Daniel."

Daniel stopped, startled, and stared at him. "Jack."

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting for Elizabeth, Jacob, and George."

"Well, stop pacing. You're making me dizzy," Jack ordered.

Daniel blinked for several moments, and then did as he was told. Before either of them could say anything further, however, the door opened once again and the remaining members of the meeting entered. Both men immediately rose and bowed to Elizabeth, who came in on George's arm.

"Jack, cousin," she greeted as she seated herself in the chair in the center of the room. Laura and Kate seated themselves on two stools, flanking her on either side. The men who followed also seated themselves. "What did you wish to speak with me about, gentlemen?"

Jack sat back and watched George and Daniel exchange significant glances, most likely trying to urge the other to be the one to broach the subject. The extent of their trepidation was ridiculous. He looked over at Jacob, noticing that he too just appeared amused.

"Whom you will open the ball with, Majesty," George finally said, breaking the increasingly awkward silence. "It could be a cause for concern."

Elizabeth stared at them, the very picture of confusion. "I believed the matter had been settled, my lords," she replied. "Since Jack despises public ceremony so and none of you are familiar with the dance in question, then it falls to Sir John. He is the only other gentleman closely associated with me who knows it."

"But cousin," Daniel protested quietly, obviously trying not to cause the queen to become upset, "the matter of Sir John's heritage…"

Jack watched Elizabeth's face turn from confusion to thinly-concealed irritation. "Oh, for goodness' sake," she muttered, and then she sighed. "What would you have me do, Daniel? Ask one of the lords of the college that know the dance? Or one of the lords' sons? That is not the wisest move, as it would undoubtedly be taken as an indication of my political support and favor to the man in question."

"But neither is making such a show of favor to a mere knight," George countered firmly. "The college has only begun to look beyond Sir John's origins, but they most certainly have not forgotten it and your plans to reopen diplomatic relations with Caldora are still in their infancy. It is premature to make such a move."

Jack knew that George had made a fair point, and from the look of it, so did Elizabeth. He noticed that Kate also appeared in agreement, but Laura was rolling her eyes, obviously tired of the whole situation. He sympathized with her. Sir John might have been Caldoran, but he had saved the queen's life from an assassin and had served her with the utmost faithfulness since being knighted. His origins might not cast the best of light on him in the eyes of many of the lords, but no one had ever publicly accused him of being disloyal to her Majesty. The queen herself had never shown any regret in taking him into her service, even when she was angry with him.

"Perhaps that is true," Elizabeth conceded. "I believe that it is high time we look past our old grievances with Caldora, and I have no wish to derail that." She gazed at them expectantly. "Still, that leaves me without a dance partner. Whom do you suggest?"

Silence. Jack shook his head inwardly. George had made a good case, but so had the queen. The dance was an intricate one, and few still knew it well enough to make it through with some semblance of grace.

"Lord Benjamin Hurst knows the steps, if I recall," Jacob suggested after several moments. "He opened the ball with Queen Margaret the year your Majesty's father injured his ankle. And he mostly leaves the politics to his son these days."

"Hurst's back wouldn't last through the whole dance," Jack replied. "I don't think it would set a good tone for the ball if we had to lift the old man off of her Majesty."

Elizabeth's lips twitched in amusement. "I agree," she said. "Any other suggestions?" When there were none, Jack was certain he saw her small smile develop into a smirk. "I believe I have one," she informed them. "Other than Sir John," she added before Daniel could speak. They gazed at her expectantly. "Jack."

Jack's jaw dropped. "What?" Now he was certain she was smirking gleefully at him.

"I know you prefer to remain out of the center of attention," the queen said sweetly. "I understand that. But you are almost my last hope unless you are all willing to take a chance on Sir John."

Which, Jack knew, Daniel would not accept. He stared at Elizabeth. She had orchestrated this, he thought suddenly. She knew that Daniel and George would protest Sir John opening the ball with her, and had used that to bring them to this point. The girl was nothing if not clever.

"Surely there is someone," he fairly pleaded, looking desperately at the other men. He struggled not to scowl when he heard Laura stifle a giggle.

"Well," Elizabeth spoke again, "there is one other…"

"Who?" Jack demanded hopefully.

"Lord Robert Kinsey."

 _Not while I walk this green earth_ , was his first thought. He had made it his mission to keep the former regent as far from Elizabeth as humanly possible.

He sighed. She had played her hand and won. "Very well," he submitted in defeat. Elizabeth straightened in her chair and gave them all a blinding smile while Laura and now Kate both did their best not to laugh outright.

"But," he added, "I expect an extra piece of cake for enduring this!"

"Jack," Elizabeth replied, "I will order that a cake of your very own be baked for this."

Jack did not bother concealing his scowl, especially when he heard Jacob chuckle. He glared at the knight.

This was immensely unfair, but at least he was getting cake as a reward.

Elizabeth relaxed and smiled at them all. "Was there anything else, gentlemen?" she asked.

As it happened, there was, and the four of them had seriously considered drawing straws for this issue as well. But Jack sat up straighter in his chair, looking the queen in the eye. "Majesty, we wanted to bring something else for your consideration," he began.

Her eyes narrowed. "Yes?"

"We would like you to reconsider having the Solstice bonfire on the mainland," he said.

"There is room enough for it here on the island," Jacob suggested. "You could have a sizable company there for the lighting."

"No," Elizabeth replied. "The bonfire will be on the mainland, as it always has been when one of my house has ruled this country."

"Cousin," Daniel began.

"No, my lord," she interrupted, changing before their eyes from family into sovereign in the space of a heartbeat. "Solstice has always been an opportunity for the people to see the monarch. I have heard reports of people traveling from as far as the Talas Mountains to be at the lighting of the bonfire. It is imperative that I appear in public to as many as possible, and that simply cannot be accommodated here on the island."

"And that is precisely why we cannot know if you will be safe there," her cousin pressed.

Elizabeth looked past him, to the guard standing unobtrusively in a corner of the room. "Captain Lorne," she said, "why have I not been informed of such a security threat before now?"

The captain stepped forward and looked at the line of noblemen uncertainly. "I know of no specific threat," he replied. "There are always dangers involved when you leave the palace, as you well know, but I know of no particular reason to cancel or move the event."

Elizabeth nodded once. "Thank you." She looked back at the others. "Your concern is touching," she said, conceding a little, "and appreciated, but it is Captain Lorne's responsibility to keep me safe. If he believes that the danger is too great I will yield to his opinion, but until he does my decision is final."

"Very well, Majesty," George said, while the four of them all tried not to look too chagrined. Jack looked at Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting and saw that Laura was trying to hide a smile and Kate looked suitably impressed. She also exchanged a glance with the captain. This was hardly an unusual occurrence, but there was a hint of admiration in her gaze which Jack had never noticed before.

He resisted the urge to curse while hoping fervently that he was imagining things. The last thing they all needed right now was for the Earl of Heightmeyer to come barging into the castle, demanding to know why they had allowed his daughter to be seduced by a man of common birth.

Elizabeth made her excuses and retreated to the bedchamber, her ladies following. While the rest were all getting out of their seats, Daniel turned on Lorne. "Captain," he said, "I can understand your desire for her Majesty to fulfill the role her parents did years ago, and I know she can be a persuasive woman, but you must stand fast when her life is at stake."

The captain regarded Daniel coolly. "I am not so easily moved, my lord," he replied. "The queen is right. There is no reason to sequester her here in the palace when she should be out among her people. It is my duty to remain dispassionate about such things, even if my love for my queen would sway me to do otherwise. But we would all do well to remember that the closest she has ever come to death was within the very hall where she will be dancing with Lord Jonathan in a few days."

Daniel looked like he still wanted to argue the point, so Jack stepped in. "Sir Marcus, you know the abilities of your men better than any of us," he said. "If you believe them capable, I believe we will yield to your opinion." The last he directed more at Daniel.

"I have already sent men to inspect the site," Lorne said smoothly. "They have given me a full report on its weaknesses, and I have drawn up a plan to secure the area before the queen arrives. She will be as safe as I can make her anywhere."

All four of them looked suitably impressed at their captain's thoroughness, and George nodded. "Thank you, son," he said. "The queen's trust in you was not misplaced."

They filed out of the room then, each heading off for a different meeting. "Do you ever get the feeling that she is even better at getting her way than Kinsey is?" Daniel asked of Jack quietly, once the other two had turned down a different corridor.

Jack sighed. "I wonder if there is some deadly disease I could contract between now and Solstice Eve."

* * *

  
Elizabeth's second dancing lesson in as many days had been followed by a conference with Sir Jacob Carter on his recent trip to Tok'ra territory. He had one piece of news that was troubling. Before Elizabeth's coronation, there had been whispers circulating around the court that the Goa'uld were on the move. Such rumors were not new, and frankly Kate had assumed that Robert Kinsey had something to do with their resurfacing. She still suspected as much, but it seemed that the best lie had its roots in truth. Sir Jacob had reported that indeed, the Goa'uld were up to something. As of yet the Tok'ra had not been able to discern what their intentions were, but the Goa'uld had such strife within their own nation that this was hardly surprising.

Arm in arm, Elizabeth and Kate slowly walked back to the private areas of the palace. It was nearly time for dinner, and Elizabeth was unusually quiet. Of course, Laura was not with them – she and Carson were taking care of some schemes of theirs in regards to Solstice gifts for their respective families – and both Kate and Elizabeth were more introspective by nature. And Elizabeth had much to reflect upon now.

They found themselves in the antechamber to the dining room, standing at the window while servants set supper on the table in the next room. "You know," Elizabeth said softly, "I almost envy Laura."

Kate blinked. "You do?"

"Not that I begrudge her any happiness," she replied immediately, "nor that I am secretly pining for Carson, but that there were no obstacles for her beyond what is normal when a man and woman wish to marry."

Kate knew what Elizabeth was speaking of, and knew that she shared that envy. "Laura is lucky that her parents do not have the caprice to stand in her way," she said. "That they are happy that she is marrying a good man who can take care of her."

Elizabeth looked at her curiously. "What do your own parents have to say on such subjects?"

Kate made a sour face. "You are almost twenty, Kate," she said, paraphrasing her mother's letters, "your pretty face will not last forever, and if you do not at least act as though you are interested in marriage, men will begin to think there is something wrong with you." The two looked at each other then and burst out laughing. "That is my mother's opinion, at any rate. I do not know if Father's differs. He has always left such matters for Mother to discuss with me."

"I suppose she might have a point," Elizabeth said, pretending a thoughtful expression. "No, no, she doesn't."

As the light mood subsided, Kate's mind turned to Marcus. This was not an uncommon occurrence whenever the subject of marriage came up, but this time she had something she needed to tell the queen, and she knew this might be her best opportunity. "My lady?" she said. "May I tell you something?"

Elizabeth laid her hand over Kate's to stop her and looked to the doorway, where her chief steward was exiting the dining room. "Madam, supper is served," he said. "But I thought there would be others dining with you tonight."

"Yes," she replied. "But Lord Daniel was delayed, and Lord Jonathan did not know if he would be able to come at all."

"Very well," he said with a bow. "Do you need anything else?"

"Only a moment to speak with Lady Katherine privately."

"Certainly."

Kate followed Elizabeth into the dining room, her stomach growling a bit as the smell of food reached her nose. The steward closed the door behind them, and Elizabeth touched Kate's arm. "I feel I should tell you something first," she began. The queen looked uncharacteristically shy and nervous. "The morning after you came back from Athos, you were gone when I awoke." Kate's eyes widened as she realized what Elizabeth had to be saying. "I opened the bedroom door to see if you were in the sitting room. I... saw Captain Lorne kissing you, and you did not seem to object."

"I was certainly not objecting," Kate replied quietly, feeling a blush crawling up her cheeks.

"What happened in Athos?" Elizabeth asked, looking torn between wanting to be polite and fervent curiosity. "I thought it would take a team of wild horses, as Jack would put it, to move either of you."

Kate's jaw dropped. "You suspected I had feelings for him?" She had been assuring herself for some time that the true extent of her feelings had been a secret.

"Kate, you are one of my best friends, and Marcus Lorne is an open book," she said. "Why would I not suspect that you both harbored affection for each other? Your protests to the contrary only made it seem that much more likely."

Kate looked away, and Elizabeth took her hand, trying to put her at ease. "What happened in Athos?" she pressed. "I assume that something between you changed then, for I had never heard of you kissing each other before."

"This is more than a little embarrassing," Kate said slowly. "Doctor Beckett was afraid for my health, apparently. I was unconscious after falling into the sea, and there was yet some danger for me if I was not warmed up before a deeper sickness set in."

"And Carson left the captain with you, I presume?"

Kate nodded, wishing that she did not have to retell all of this but knowing it was for the best. "I awoke lying on the floor in front of a fire," she explained, her face heating uncomfortably. "He was holding me, and neither of us were wearing very much."

Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up. Kate almost would have described the look on her face as stern. "Why?" she asked simply.

"Our clothes were drenched, and would have compounded the problems," Kate replied quickly. "You have been caught in a rainstorm before. How long did it take your petticoats to dry?"

Elizabeth's shock seemed to subside a little, as though she were conceding the point. Then a hint of a devilish smile crossed her lips, and she teased, "Surely that was not the first time you realized that he is an attractive man."

"No," she replied. The question did not make her blush abate. "Though I confess it did serve as a healthy reminder."

"Kate!" Elizabeth exclaimed, looking slightly abashed.

Kate smiled a little. "He finds me desirable, Elizabeth," she said softly. "I confess, I had not expected that. So few men I have met had any concern for me. They saw only what use I could be to their own ambitions."

This was something which the queen of Atalan could sympathize with. "But Marcus does not care for court intrigues or power plays."

She nodded, her voice low. "I know it is not the most proper thing, but I find I prefer his honest desire to the pretty speeches of other, more powerful men."

Elizabeth's smile turned wistful. "I fear I must ask you this," she said carefully. "I would not normally invade your privacy, but if I have learned nothing else in my short tenure as queen, it is that it is better for me to have all the information I can at the outset. Have you made forfeit your virginity, Kate?"

Kate was not offended by the question, knowing that Elizabeth's wish was to be prepared for any problem which could arise, both for herself and for her friends. "No," she replied, shaking her head.

"And did he force himself upon you?"

"No," she repeated. "He is an honorable man, my lady, as well you know."

Elizabeth nodded. "Then I have no objection if he wishes to court you."

Feeling more relieved that the conversation was over than anything else, Kate smiled. "Thank you, my lady."

Elizabeth's expression became wry. "How Laura expresses her opinions on this subject is beyond my ability to dictate, though I can imagine her initial reaction."

Kate groaned. Just then, the door opened, and Lord Daniel walked in. He looked between the two girls and said, "What is going on?"

Elizabeth and Kate just looked at each other and started to laugh. Daniel held his hands up and added, "I withdraw the question."

* * *

  
Elizabeth was quite tired when she finally reached her rooms on that day. With Solstice Eve looming the day after, there were a thousand things to do, and the extra dancing practices had not helped. Laura and Kate were both still frantically overseeing preparations and all three of them would be up early the next morning to continue them.

Though she rather suspected that at the moment both of her friends were engaged in other pursuits. Laura and Carson had a tendency to slip away in the evenings to have some privacy, and Kate's confession of the new understanding between herself and Marcus Lorne made Elizabeth wonder just what might be going on any time the two of them were out of her sight.

She sighed, feeling slightly alone. It was a strange thing to think both Laura and Kate were advancing to some new realm where she could not yet follow. Chastising herself for being so full of self-pity, Elizabeth began preparing for bed, but a brown-wrapped parcel caught her eye. She recalled the messenger arriving several days ago with a gift from the royal house in Iolan for her as well as a package for Rodney McKay from his sister. She had not had time to open it yet.

Unable to help her curiosity, Elizabeth opened the parcel. Within it she found a formal gift bearing a small card with Iolan's royal seal upon it. Inside were candle holders engraved with careful drawings of sailing ships. Atalan had sent a similarly impersonal gift – goblets bearing the winged horse that figured in much of the country's official artwork – to the leaders of her allies and friends. Elizabeth had sent a tiny miniature of the _Queen Margaret_ to Radek, though, and small tokens to the rest of his family, partly because of her distant familial ties with the royal family but more because of her close friendship with the prince.

There was a note as well, written by the regent of Iolan – Radek's older sister who ruled the country until her small son came of age. Like Atalan, Iolan's law held that a female could not inherit the throne unless no other male of direct descent was living. Elizabeth had her opinions on such subjects, but that was a matter she would address another time.

She pulled the second package out curiously. It was undoubtedly a book by the shape. Since the beginning of their friendship, Radek had sent her many volumes he felt she could use in her studies. One entire shelf in her private study was full of such gifts, but usually he saved those for something other than festive occasions.

Then again, it was going to be difficult to outshine the gift of an entire ship.

She undid the wrapping and opened the book. It was not, as she half-expected, a serious tome on the intricacies of diplomacy or the history of naval warfare. It was a book of fairy tales, collected from the towns and villages that ran along the river Iolanthe up into the Talas Mountains. Each story was carefully illustrated with exquisite drawings.

Elizabeth flipped through the pages with a smile on her lips. Then she opened the small note that had been tucked in the front. The letter from Radek reiterated his invitation to come to Iolan in the summer, and explained the book had been in the family for some years, but his nephew having grown older, Radek wished her to have it, "both for your own amusement and to share someday with your own children, if it so pleases you."

She could not help the slight blush in her cheeks. There was nothing suggestive or untoward in the words, but she was fairly certain of the sentiment behind them, and she could practically hear the tone of her friend's voice if he had uttered the words aloud. The thought made a small thrill go through her.

She had always intended to accept the invitation, barring some crisis, of course. Tucking the letter carefully into a small wooden chest that held some of her more private treasures, she placed the book on her desk, resolving within herself to keep her thoughts – and heart – open to the best of her ability. Her dear friend deserved no less.

* * *

  
On the morning of Solstice Eve, John stepped off the ferry onto the mainland, relieved to have the journey at an end. He was definitely not eager to return home via the sea. Perhaps with the servants constantly transporting supplies for the bonfires from the palace, there was a wagon he could ride back with.

He glanced around and was pleased when he spotted Halling standing there, appearing to be waiting for him. John raised his hand in greeting. “Halling!"

The tall Athosian turned his head and smiled when their eyes met. “Sir John," he greeted. “I hope this Solstice has been agreeable to you."

John grinned. “Oh yes, most agreeable. And educational as well." He glanced around. “Is Lady Teyla nearby? I have something for her."

He nodded. “Yes, she is coordinating the servants that have been arriving from the palace, but she knew that you were coming. She asked that I meet you and send you in her direction, and told me to inform you that she might have something that you're looking for."

John's hopes rose. He had sent the Athosian countess a message the previous day, asking her assistance in procuring a gift for the queen. Could it be that she had already found it?

He quickly gave Halling his thanks and said farewell before hurrying off to where the hoards of servants were congregating as they prepared the bonfire and other festivities. The area was rather crowded, so it took John several minutes to sight Teyla in the throngs of people.

She turned to him as he approached and smiled. “Sir John," she said.

“My lady," he replied, bowing.

“I am glad you were able to arrive so quickly," she said. “Did Halling tell you that I think I have something that might suit your needs in your endeavor?"

He nodded. “Yes, he did. I thank you for your help, my lady, but that is not the only reason I came to Athos." When her brow furrowed in polite confusion, he pulled out a small parcel that he had kept within his thick, woolen coat to prevent it from being drenched by the waves on his journey across the channel.

“I know we will both be extremely busy during the bonfire celebrations, and you will not be attending the ball, so I thought it best to bring this to you now," he continued, suddenly beginning to feel somewhat nervous. He had no wish to offend one of the few allies he had among the nobility.

However, Teyla did not appear at all offended. Instead, her eyes grew wide, showing her clear surprise. She reached out, took the bundle from him, and unwrapped the cloth, revealing the ceremonial dagger and its sheath.

“Sir John," she said after a moment, “this… this is beautiful. Thank you for such a wonderful gift." She examined the carvings on the hilt and smiled. “The seal of Athos," she murmured, “woven into the high seal of Atalan." Her smile grew as she looked up at him, making his heart lighten in his chest. “This is a most thoughtful gift. I have not the words to thank you properly."

John could feel his cheeks burning, and not just from the stinging chill on the air. He looked down, embarrassed. “No thanks are needed," he mumbled. “I am just pleased that it is to your liking."

He glanced up when he heard her chuckle. Fairly grinning at him now, she nonetheless changed the subject. “Would you like to see what I have found for you? Jinto has several you can choose from. I hope you do not mind that I told him your purpose for looking for one, but he was delighted that it could be a gift for her Majesty."

John shrugged. “No, it's all right. I know Jinto can keep quiet until after Solstice, once the gift has been delivered to the queen."

Teyla nodded. “Very well then. This way."

* * *

  
It had been a strange afternoon, Rodney McKay decided. He had assumed that life would play out as usual throughout the day, but he had forgotten what it had been like in his house when a ball was coming and his mother and sister had to prepare for it. Such an annoyance was one of the few things he and his father had ever agreed upon. Still more annoying, most of the men were acting like exotic peacocks he had seen once, strutting about and fluffing their feathers in hopes of catching the eye of some disinterested female. He had even spotted Sir John sneaking through the palace trying to hide something under his cloak.

It was most frustrating.

Rodney did not particularly have any desire to attend the ball the queen had organized for Solstice Eve. He had never had any liking for parties, even in his younger years, and his parents had often indulged his preference for solitude.

However, Queen Elizabeth sent him a specific invitation to the party, saying that it included an elaborate feast, so he thought it best to accede to her wishes. After all, refusing to attend might be considered rude and he had little doubt that Radek would also take offense and bend his ear repeatedly for such an affront to the queen.

So, he dressed himself in some of his finer clothes, intent on attending the feast and making a small appearance at the ball afterwards before withdrawing back to his rooms in the hopes of getting some actual work done. There were still many more ship designs to be completed, and with everyone sequestered off in the great hall and the courtyards, his area of the palace would be veritably deserted, leaving him with peace and quiet.

As Rodney checked his appearance one final time in the mirror, his eyes were drawn to his vanity to a long, thin black box. He knew very well its contents, had spent hours just gazing at it, but now was the time to decide its fate. It had been given to his mother from his father many years ago on the Solstice, and she had passed it to him before her death. When he had incredulously asked her what he was supposed to do with it, as it was of no use to him, his mother, though weak from illness, had still managed to smile mysteriously and tell him that he would know in due time.

Now, Rodney thought he knew.

He would not give it away personally, though. He had no desire to humiliate himself, nor be subjected to her caustic tongue. Let it be a mystery for _her_ to ponder.

It was better that way. For both of them. He would be spared having to trip and stumble over his words, and she would not have a chance to laugh in his face.

* * *

  
As the hour drew near, Daniel found Jack fussing with his shirt and the baldric from his uniform before a mirror. As he watched, Jack growled and muttered something under his breath that was probably profane. He folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Enjoying yourself, Jack?"

He got the familiar look in response. "Yes, Daniel. Was it that obvious?"

Shaking his head, Daniel stepped in front of Jack and adjusted the belt so that it draped properly across Jack's chest. Despite his old friend's protests, each medal and insignia on was carefully cared for and shining in the sputtering candle light. "There."

"Thank you, Daniel," Jack said tartly, glancing over Daniel's own attire. "I suppose I should be happy I don't have to wear those gloves."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. Jack had been teasing him most of their lives about the gray gloves that Daniel always wore to public functions. Being a member of the military, Jack got away with wearing black gloves he had likely liberated from the guardsmen. "Laura would remind us that we should both be thankful we do not have to wear corsets," he said.

Jack chuckled, going to his desk and taking a drink from a mug sitting on the edge. Daniel smoothed his own clothes down, glancing at the window. "It is nearly time. Lord George will greet the guests shortly. I had no idea so many of the ambassadors would wish to stay for the ball. I can only imagine what they will ask of Elizabeth-"

"Daniel," Jack cut him off, a warning note in his voice. Daniel met Jack's brown eyes and saw both exasperation and affection in them. "Let it go. She'll fall or fly, and there's little else we can do but watch."

"But-"

"Ah," Jack waved a long finger at him. "What did I just say?"

Pouting just slightly, Daniel got in one last shot. "You should go to the ballroom. You will need to be in place to lead the first dance with the queen."

He smirked evilly at the dark cloud that passed onto Jack's face as he left to find his cousin.

* * *

  
Samantha hurried into her rooms, breathless from her fast-paced walk from the Asgard sanctuary. One of her long-term experiments had taken longer to resolve than she had estimated, and now she was late in beginning her preparations for the ball. Fortunately, she was not one of those ladies who took a completely excessive amount of time to prepare for such things.

Her gold and white gown hung on a peg, waiting for her to don it. But first she would have to wash. It wouldn't do to arrive for the ball appearing as though she had spent the entire day in the dockyards. Though, Samantha reflected as she poured a pitcher of water into a washing bowl, it would be amusing just to see the shock on the faces of the old women of the court.

But this was Elizabeth's first great celebration since her coronation. She could hold off on scandalizing the court for another time. She removed her dark brown working dress, tossed it negligently into a corner, and then began to bathe herself with the rose water.

Several minutes, after she wiped the soap from her skin with a warm, wet cloth, Samantha took her brush and attacked her tangled hair. She could have easily summoned a maidservant to assist her, but given how busy everyone was as the ball approached, it was just easier to do it herself. Besides, she preferred being self-sufficient.

Samantha wrapped her blonde hair into an elegant twist, leaving a few ringlets to hang down and frame her face. Taking a look in the mirror, she nodded in satisfaction at what she saw.

Next she had to select her jewelry. Samantha had no use for ostentatious pieces, but most of her collection had once belonged to her mother, Lady Patricia, and had been given to her after her death. Her mother had felt much the same way and thus most of her pieces were beautiful and elegant, but not flamboyant.

Samantha sat down in front of her vanity. She started to reach for her jewelry box when something mysterious caught her eye. There next to the box, almost unnoticeable, was a long, thin black box. Her eyes narrowed in confusion. She was certain that she did not own such a package. Reaching out, Samantha picked the box up and opened it. She gasped, staring at the contents.

It was a beautiful silver necklace with a tiny, sparkling snowflake charm.

Where had such a lovely little thing come from? Not her father, surely. He would have no need to give it to her so covertly by leaving it for her to find on her own. Who else had ready access to her rooms to leave it there? Kate and Laura both had their ways of getting into places that they needed to get to, but they had no more motive to leave the necklace than her father had.

Samantha picked up the chain reverently, taking the charm in her other hand when she spotted a marking of some sort on the snowflake. She examined it closely. There, engraved on the radiant surface was what looked like a ship, vaguely resembling the _Queen Margaret_. It was gorgeous.

Slowly, she opened the clasp and slipped the necklace around her neck. She then gazed into the small mirror in front of her, examining her appearance.

It looked good on her.

Samantha greatly desired to know who had given this to her, if only to thank them for such a beautiful gift and ask them why they felt they could not give it to her in person.

But for now, there was a ball she had to finish preparing to attend.


	3. Chapter 3

  
Elizabeth was standing very still while Laura pinned up some of her hair, but Kate could tell how excited she was. The last time Atlantis had seen a Solstice celebration like this was before Kate had come to court, but it was clear that it had left a very happy impression on Elizabeth's memory. She had been brimming with anticipation for the last two weeks.

She wore a flowing gown of white, and when Laura was out of the way, Kate set a wreath of red flowers on her head that set off the dark brown curls nicely. "There," Laura said. "Perfect, I think."

Kate and Laura were similarly dressed, though their gowns were less ornate than the queen's. Her expression grew pensive as she smoothed down the bodice of her gown. "We had a governess when you two first came here," Elizabeth said. "She told me once at Solstice that she was most sad that my mother was no longer feeling well enough for a ball like this. 'Queen of the Solstice,' she called her. This is as much about her as it is about anything else."

The two ladies-in-waiting exchanged a smile. Margaret of Langford had become queen when she was quite young, just a few months after the Solstice ball where she had first met the newly crowned King Edmund. In her time as queen, she had hosted magnificent Solstice celebrations. It seemed that Elizabeth included the festivities in her restoration of the former glories of Atalan.

There was a knock on the door, and Daniel entered a moment later. "Cousin," he said, "it would not do to keep your guests waiting much longer."

Elizabeth smiled broadly. "I was simply waiting for my escort, Daniel," she retorted. "It would not do for me to arrive without you."

He rolled his eyes at her, but offered his arm. Elizabeth walked out with him, Kate and Laura following.

There was an energy and life in the palace that night which could not be matched, despite the chill in the air. Yet even that was merely a taste of that which was to come when they entered the ballroom. It had been transformed by the efforts of the staff into a positive fairyland of garlands, ribbons and candles, the red and white colors of the holiday intermingled down to the choices of flowers in the bouquets. No sooner had the music reached their ears than Lord George announced, "Hail Elizabeth, Queen of Atalan!"

Those in attendance took up the cry, and it echoed through the ballroom as Elizabeth smiled graciously upon her subjects and guests. When she reached the other end of the ballroom, Jack was waiting for her, as they had planned. He bowed to her and then led her to the dance floor. The musicians took up their instruments, and the pair began to dance alone.

Kate stood at Laura's side during the dance. Her friend, having never truly mastered the art of standing still, looked about every now and then, and shortly after the dance had begun, she nudged Kate. That was all the warning Kate had for Marcus coming up behind her and saying in her ear: "My lady, a word?"

His face was unreadable, and Kate followed him silently. He led her out a door to the balcony that ran along the length of the ballroom. Once outside he took her hand and pulled her into the very dark end of the verandah. She had half a moment to realize what was going on before he kissed her.

They had never gotten much time alone, and the change in their relationship had not altered that. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, Kate wondered idly if they would ever have moments like this that were not stolen out of their duties, and if he might ever kiss her in the light of day. But for now she found she did not mind the secrecy so much, not when he was holding her like this and kissing her so thoroughly.

She was pressed against him tightly, and she had to focus hard not to make any sounds, so she wouldn't draw attention to them. It was difficult not to let go of her control entirely, to lose herself in the warmth of his mouth and strength of his embrace. She had wanted this so badly and for so long that now it was difficult not to shout it out for the whole world to hear.

He pulled away from her lips but still held her very close, whispering in her ear. "I have no formal claim to you," he said, "but when handsome and powerful men are vying for your favor, do not forget this."

Marcus kissed her tenderly this time, but Kate forced herself to draw back from before very long. At the confusion on his face she touched his cheek. "We should go back," she said, sounding more breathless than she had anticipated. "As enjoyable as this is for us both."

He grinned at that, and kissed her hand before he quietly led her back into the ballroom. It was not until they were inside again that Kate realized just how cold it was outside.

Elizabeth's dance with Jack ended as they returned. Daniel stepped forward to claim Elizabeth's hand and Jack removed himself from the dance floor as fast as decency allowed. Around them the lords and ladies of the court were bowing and pairing off. Kate stepped away from Marcus to stand by Laura's side once more. The younger woman looked at her curiously. "What is it?" Kate asked.

Laura merely smiled, her gaze flitting over to the captain of the guard, and Kate rolled her eyes, knowing that her conversation with Elizabeth had been repeated to Laura at some point. She leaned over and spoke softly. "If I tell you his kisses are beyond the scope of your imagination, will you stop teasing me?"

She raised her eyebrows as though delivering a stern admonition, while Laura's jaw dropped. The musicians on the other end of the ballroom struck up the opening of the next dance, and Carson came to claim Laura's hand for it. She followed him off, still utterly speechless, and Kate smirked triumphantly even as Lord George approached her. This, it seemed, was a rare secret that grew sweeter in the sharing.

* * *

  
Though there were many obligations within the royal court which Sam did not care for, she found herself smiling easily at Lord Daniel as they darted about the dance floor to a folk song that had originated in Langford, the province Daniel's family had ruled for centuries. She loved dancing, though it was a relief to have a partner who had no agenda beyond talking with her and enjoying her company.

They reached the end of the line and waited, watching the other couples promenade down the rows. Her father was dancing with the queen, and Laura with Master Grodin, which was just as well, as the dance was a lively one and Laura's high spirits required a great deal of exuberance to keep up with.

Daniel glanced at her neck and his forehead furrowed. "I have not seen you wear that before," he said with a nod to the sparkling silver chain around her throat.

Sam's eyebrows went up. His attention to detail never failed to surprise her. Despite the separation of rank and duty, she and Daniel had been good friends for some years. He was not naturally inclined to deception, and she felt certain he had not been her mysterious benefactor. "No," she said, leaning closer to keep from shouting. "It was a gift left in my rooms. I do not know by whom."

Daniel looked about to say something, then his face broke into a teasing smile. "You have a secret admirer, my lady?" He caught her about the waist and they began to revolve around the edges of the room so swiftly the candle lights blurred.

"It appears so," she laughed.

He squeezed her hand. "I exhibit no surprise, Sam," he told her with a glance that made her face warm even beyond the heat of the ballroom. "It would be a rare man who could capture your attention and hold it." The sweet compliment was almost immediately undercut by his next observation, "Particularly a man who could find more favor with you than your work does."

She tried to call up a glare, but her spirits were too light. "As if you are any different," she retorted, longing to make some childish face at him as Jack doubtless would have done. Daniel merely laughed.

* * *

  
Jack watched the people throughout the hall, many of them laughing and dancing merrily, and took a light sip of his punch, testing it. No one had added brandy to it as of yet. While he did not doubt that it would happen at some point this evening (it always did during a celebration of any size in Atlantis) he had no desire to become intoxicated. Yet.

He had reluctantly held up his end of the bargain with Elizabeth, opening the ball with her by performing the first dance with her. She had done well, making only a few tiny missteps that he noticed as her partner, but he doubted anyone else would have been able to perceive them. Jack had not been pleased to have every eye in the hall on him, but if by enduring them it kept Kinsey more than a few yards away from Elizabeth and saved them all the political headaches of Sir John standing up with her, then it had been worth tolerating.

And as promised, the servers had indeed brought him an entire small cake, delivered "with her Majesty's compliments."

The approach of another to his left brought the Marquis of Neill out of his thoughts and he turned. Upon seeing the man, Jack could not help but grin. "Teal'c," he greeted lightly.

The Jaffa ambassador nodded in return. "O'Neill," he replied in the manner of his people. Jack had watched for many years before King Edmund's death as Daniel tried in vain to get the former slave warrior to Apophis to call them by their given names. Teal'c had his own way of identifying them, and Jack had just accepted it as it was.

He watched Teal'c turn to gaze out over the partygoers. "There is much joy here tonight," he commented.

"Yes," Jack agreed. He lowered his voice. "This year we actually have reason to celebrate, with her Majesty's ascension to the throne. Kinsey's loss of the regency and his inability to continue to control the purse-strings has allowed for us to celebrate Solstice much as we did before."

"May you and your people enjoy many such celebrations," Teal'c said. Though his expression retained its normal reserve, Jack knew his friend well enough to see the disquiet in his eyes. "If the Goa'uld continue their attempts to invade Jaffa, I fear my people will not be able to celebrate for some time."

What good cheer Jack had felt since he had retreated from the center of attention began to fade. Teal'c was right. The Jaffa nation was young, and though its people were determined never to see themselves enslaved again by their former masters, the Goa'uld warlords were powerful. They had long been a thorn in the side of all the nations, except perhaps the Ori to the east and the Ancients to the west. The Goa'uld feared both races and often avoided them however they could.

Still, that fear did not include nations such as Atalan. As much as the warlords battled each other, just as often they joined together to attack other nations. Even as recently as the past few weeks, the soldiers that patrolled Atalan's borders on Jack's orders had noted an increase in movements in the Goa'uld-held territories. He could not help but fear that the Jaffa were not their only targets.

Atalan was not ready to face a war. Though Elizabeth had done a great deal to bring the country to right after it had suffered from Kinsey's neglect, they were in no shape to fight off invaders. Now that Jack had the freedom to do so, he had been busy restoring the army to the powerful force it had been before the Ori. The navy was undergoing its own reawakening, under the guiding hands of Master McKay, Captain Pendergast, and Samantha.

Much was being done, but Jack feared they were working with limited time, a fear he knew Teal'c shared. Atalan was an ally of the Jaffa nation and would be honor-bound to help if there was a need, but there was only so much that could be done given their own dire straits.

"What do we have here?"

Jack looked up to see that Laura had appeared without warning, her expression one of polite curiosity mixed with her usual impishness. Teal'c bowed and she curtsied to him gracefully without missing a beat.

"Gentlemen," she continued, "I believe that this is a social occasion! You should not be standing here in the corner, looking so morose and serious." She turned her gaze directly to Teal'c and eyed him flirtatiously. "Ambassador," she said silkily, "it has been long since we have had the pleasure of your company here at court. Can I interest you in a turn about the floor?"

Jack fought the impulse to laugh uproariously at the expression on his long-time friend's face. Teal'c had met Elizabeth's ladies-in-waiting in the past, but it was only now that he was able to witness Laura's amusing, and sometimes outrageous, antics. The large man arched one of his eyebrows, indicating that he was both startled and amused. After a moment, he acquiesced, "As you wish, Lady Laura." He held out an arm courteously to her and nodded to Jack. "O'Neill."

Grinning, he raised his punch glass in salute. "Teal'c."

Teal'c began to lead Laura away, but she paused to look at Jack. "Lord Jonathan," she said after a moment's scrutiny, "I believe Lady Samantha has been obliged to sit out at least two sets now. It is such a shame that there are men idling about, yet a fine dancer like her is left to watch."

Well, that was a hint if he'd ever heard one. He rolled his eyes as the two slipped off to join the dancers.

How things changed. Laura would soon be married, Elizabeth was now queen and would most likely follow her friend's example within the next few years, as would Kate. Samantha might as well, if there was a man who could keep up with her intellect and would encourage such learning in a woman. They had grown.

Suddenly, Jack began to feel old. He took a bracing swig of the last of his punch and looked around. He spotted Samantha sitting with one of the old women of the court, managing to look politely interested in what the old woman was harping about. Sighing, he left his comfortable corner and went off to lead her to more interesting activities.

* * *

  
Public events like this had often made Kate feel it necessary to encourage Laura to censor her comments about other people, especially important or powerful people. However, when they had first met the ambassador from Doranda, Kate had found herself wholeheartedly agreeing with Laura's assessment: filthy, slobbering beast.

Unfortunately, the ambassador's drunkenness and enthusiasm for inappropriate and lewd comments did not alter the fact that he was the ambassador from a very powerful nation, and there was little anyone could do about the man except try to keep him away from Elizabeth as much as possible, particularly at social functions.

All of which explained why Kate was suffering through dancing with the man. Laura had shot her a sympathetic look, but she was engaged with Sir Jacob, who had taken pity on Teal'c and taken Laura off his hands. After twice having to remove the ambassador's hands from inappropriate places on her person and enduring double that number of comments about her maturation since the last time they had danced together, Kate was ticking off the seconds until the song ended in her head.

The final note being struck, she fairly leapt back to curtsey. There was a momentary lull as the musicians rearranged themselves for something. The ambassador hiccupped loudly and his face broke into a wide, foolish smile. "Ah, I should pay my respects to the lovely young queen," he mumbled, mopping his red face with a handkerchief.

Kate glanced over her shoulder and tensed. Elizabeth was with the son of one of the earls from the northern territories, meaning if the ambassador appeared before her, he would be able to command her attention from the other man.

On instinct, Kate forced herself to reach for the ambassador's arm, blurting out the first excuse which came to her head. "My lord? I was hoping you could escort me to the verandah. I feel myself in need of some fresh air." She was stunned by her own boldness, but it was the only idea she could come up with so quickly.

The man's beady eyes focused on her in surprise, then his face morphed into a salacious smile that made her flesh crawl. "Of course, my dear lady."

Forced to take his arm – and held far closer to his body than she cared for – Kate looked frantically about as they made their way through the crowd. She hoped to catch the eye of one of the men from Elizabeth's inner circle, who would realize what was happening and save her.

Panic began to well as she could not find a soul. Marcus was out of the question, as his place was as close to Elizabeth as the company would allow. She did not see Daniel or Lord George, and Carson was well on the other side of the room. Lord Jack was speaking with the Jaffa ambassador again. Abandoning subtlety Kate twisted to look for Laura's tell-tale red hair but to no avail.

Real fear about what she might be getting herself into was taking her over when Kate locked eyes with Sir John. There was of course no way for him to understand her situation, but the man had shown a talent for aiding women in distress. Praying desperately to the ancestors, she let her desperation show on her face. She had only enough time to see confusion and alarm register on his before she was ushered out of the crowded room and into the sheltered, and shadowed, verandah that adjoined the great ballroom.

The open stone walkway ran the entire length of the ballroom, with large pillars supporting its roof to keep the elements from hindering guests' appreciation of the view. The pillars cast deep shadows, and Kate had thought before that it would provide an excellent place for a lovers' tryst, even in the middle of a noisy party, a fact which Marcus had proved quite thoroughly just an hour or so ago.

She could think of few other places where she would less desire to be at the moment. Or few people whose company she would less care to have.  
The ambassador would have moved far from the doors to the middle of the great balcony but Kate practically yanked his arm to prevent being pulled into one of the shadows further away from the light. Folding her hands together, she leaned her elbows on the stone, making a show of drawing in the air, and all the while growing more alarmed when no one else came through the doors. The music began again in the ballroom and the ambassador placed an unwelcome hand on her left shoulder. As he was to her right, his arm draped over her back. "Are you feeling better, my lovely girl?"

Dear heavens, his breath stank. "Almost, my lord. I shall be ready to go back in momentarily."

The fingers on her shoulder brushed over bare skin, creeping closer to her breast, and Kate fought the urge to shudder. "Seems a shame," he rumbled in her ear. "Such a lovely evening."

It was, in fact, rather cold out and threatening to snow again. Kate steeled herself. She would rather be rude and risk the consequences than endure this much longer. But a voice cut into her thoughts. "Lady Katherine?"

Sir John was walking towards her, his face going cool when he got a good look at the ambassador. She saw him look at the man's hand and for a moment her heart seemed to seize. John knew something had passed between her and Marcus in Athos a few weeks ago. If he had gained a certain impression about her regard for propriety, he might turn and leave her to her fate.

Swallowing hard, Kate twisted a little roughly out of the ambassador's grasp. "Sir John, have you been introduced to the Dorandan ambassador?"

The ambassador was glaring sullenly at John, who merely nodded, his expression carefully neutral. "Yes, earlier this evening." He turned his eyes to her. "You had promised me a dance, my lady. I have come to collect."

It was a sheer and total lie, but she could have cried with relief. She gave the ambassador a fleeting glance and hurried apology before taking John's arm tightly and letting him lead her back into the ballroom.

"Are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes," she laughed a little at his alarm, nerves making her lightheaded. "Thank you very much, Sir John."

He shrugged and she was grateful he made no move to have her to release his arm just yet. "A blind man could have seen your discomfort. I wonder at you going anywhere with that man at all."

She answered his unspoken question. "We try to avoid allowing the ambassador anywhere near the queen when he can be alone with her to any degree. Tonight especially, when he's clearly consumed enough liquor for two men, he needs to be kept away."

John looked at her in exasperation. "And it is your job to fall upon your sword to accomplish that?"

She blushed a little. "I could not think of another way in time."

He covered her hand with his free one and squeezed gently. "I do not envy you, my lady. I think I would prefer to meet any enemy on a battlefield than face this gathering as you do." He nodded towards the whirling couples on the floor and the myriad courtiers, diplomats and other nobility gossiping and flirting around them. She spotted the ambassador again. He had lumbered back into the room and was speaking loudly with a man and two women near the tables along the far wall.

Kate could not help the slight shudder. "At the moment, Sir John, so would I."

"You do not need to address me always by my title," he said hesitantly. "Unless you prefer it so."

She smiled at the offer of friendship, for she saw his unease and his honest intentions in his eyes. For all his secrets, John of Sheppard could not conceal his emotions well. "I do not," she said. The song ended and a new one began. "But if we are to drop the formalities between us, I believe you mentioned something about a dance?"

He chuckled. "So my success in this matter rests on my skill with a waltz?" he teased her.

"A lady must have some standards," Kate replied primly, before breaking the mask and laughing.

"I would be honored," he started, and then hesitated. "There is however something I must see to first." He glanced around, clearly not comfortable with the idea of leaving her alone again. "Perhaps you could accompany me? It concerns my gift for her Majesty."

Her curiosity piqued, Kate nodded. "I think I could use a genuine moment away from the crowd," she agreed, allowing him to lead her to the door.

* * *

  
Having spent much of his life surrounded by the noble class of Atalan, Daniel had developed an almost unnerving ability to sense the ebb and flow of conversation in a room. As he paid due respects to the women of the court during the ball, he began to notice that pointed looks and whispers were going through the crowd. He had a foreboding feeling this could not lead anywhere good for Elizabeth, who was the natural object of attention and curiosity tonight. His face did not betray anything, but inwardly he was making quick calculations.

The downside of being second in rank to the queen was that people were generally reluctant to spread gossip in his hearing. However, Daniel had at his disposal the perfect man to do the job for him.

Scarcely half an hour after his brief instructions, Peter Grodin smoothly returned to Daniel's side as if by pure coincidence. "My lord," Peter said in a low voice as the marchioness he had been dancing with began to speak to the earl's wife standing at Daniel's side, "there seems to be much speculation in the hall about Lady Katherine and Sir John."

Daniel blinked, relieved but slightly confused. "What are they saying?"

"It appears he may have rescued her from the clutches of the Dorandan ambassador, while they were alone out on the verandah." Daniel winced. Jack would be furious if he learned that Kate had been trapped alone with that vile drunkard. "They have danced together several times, and the rumor is that they seem to be flirting a great deal. They were evidently seen conversing intimately a few days ago-"

Others drew near them, cutting off further discussion, but Daniel managed one last thought, "Keep your eyes and ears open, Peter."

He had never noticed any particular attachment between Kate and the knight, but he looked over and found that they were indeed standing together, talking easily with one another. He and the others had been so worried over John's effect on Elizabeth, the dangers his friendship and service posed. Was it possible they had missed the real reason why the queen was so insistent on keeping the Caldoran around?

* * *

  
It was harder than he had anticipated to keep his eyes trained where they needed to be. Marcus struggled more than once to keep his attention focused on the queen, but his gaze frequently strayed to Kate whenever she was close enough to Elizabeth for him to recognize her profile.

This was, of course, precisely what he had feared would happen, and one of the reasons why he had told himself nothing but friendship could ever exist between him and a member of Elizabeth's innermost circle. Long before Athos, it had not been entirely easy to resist the distraction Kate offered him. Now, with memories that rose up each time he looked at her, it was incredibly difficult not to stare, to wish painful death on every man who touched her too intimately for his liking, to long to be the one guiding her through the steps with nothing to think about but the lady in his arms.

It was made increasingly difficult by what he was hearing said about Kate and Sir John. Standing as he was, silently and alone, he could overhear conversations on all sides. When he'd first heard whispers about Kate leaving the ballroom, he had been afraid someone had seen his impulsive and admittedly reckless behavior at the start of the ball. But now he knew they were speaking of something else.

Kate had evidently become entangled with one of the ambassadors, something that made his fists clench. Sir John had brought her back into the ballroom, but apparently they had left together for, as one wagging female tongue assured her companions repeatedly, "above a quarter of an hour!"

He knew to his bones that Kate had no romantic interest in the knight, and he was nearly as certain that Sir John's attentions were fixed elsewhere. The only woman in the realm who might have been the object of John's interest besides the queen was Lady Teyla, who was not even present. And Marcus somehow thought that even Teyla's considerable beauty and grace were never foremost in John's mind.

Yet, despite his convictions, the twitch of jealousy in him would not go away.

In the back of his mind, Marcus nearly felt the presence of Captain Sumner. He could just imagine the older man in this crowd, a towering, somber island amid the gaiety, his eyes rigidly fixed on the queen and those near her and little else. Unobtrusive, but omnipresent, that was what a good guard strived to achieve.

Even in death, Sumner's well-remembered glare had a chilling effect.

Elizabeth had placed her trust in him and he would not fail her, nor the memory of the man who had taught him so much. Nothing, not court intrigues, malicious gossip, not even Kate herself, would cause him to break that vow.

The queen indicated with a brief glance in his direction whom she intended to speak to next, and he slipped unnoticed through the guests to place himself where he needed to be, fixing his mind more firmly upon his task.

* * *

  
Rodney was surprised to find that he was enjoying himself. The musicians played their melodies superbly, filling the great hall with a music that made his foot twitch along with the beat. He was not a man overly inclined to dancing, but he had inherited his father’s great love for all things musical, and his education had included a great deal of time spent learning various instruments.

So instead of standing near the dance floor once the ball had begun, where some matchmaking matron could easily attempt to pair him off with a simpering daughter or niece, Rodney retreated to the buffet tables that the servants had set up, which were all laden with food and drink. Much to his great delight, he found that there were foods displayed that were quite common in Iolan. He rather suspected that their presence might have something to do with Radek’s longstanding friendship with the queen. A part of him idly began to wonder what such influence might mean for the future of the two royal persons.

Such thoughts were interrupted, however, by the arrival of Carson Beckett. Rodney found the royal physician a man of good intelligence. Indeed he expected no less from someone who had studied with the Asgard, even if he had devoted himself to the dubious practice of medicine.

“I will say this, you Atalanians know how to celebrate,” Rodney said as he glanced around yet again at the grand decorations spread throughout the large room.

“Why, thank you, Master McKay,” Carson replied wryly. He took a sip of the drink he had just acquired from one of the tables before continuing. “I think our good spirit for the season has been rather augmented by her Majesty’s ascension. The stories the older members of the court tell about balls given by the queen’s parents have become nearly legendary in recent years.”

Rodney nodded, taking a bite of one of the sweets he wished to sample. Oh, he thought in delight, this was definitely one to remember. He turned back to the doctor, intent on sharing his observation with him, when he noticed that Carson’s gaze was now focused intently on the dance floor. Following the other man’s eyes, Rodney found himself staring at Lady Laura, who was dancing enthusiastically with Master Grodin.

He shook his head. Was he to be stuck conversing half-heartedly with a man utterly distracted by his betrothed? “Doctor,” he said loudly enough to recall Carson’s attention, “if you are so eager to stare at the wild lady, then perhaps you should go dance with her? Then you can stare at her up close.”

It was not Carson who replied to his comment, but another familiar voice.

“I for one would not call Lady Laura wild,” John commented as he appeared from behind Rodney, a cup of punch in his hand which he raised towards Carson. “High-spirited, perhaps, would be a better term. And if I understand correctly, those high spirits are greatly enjoyed and valued by all who know her.”

“Thank you, Sir John,” Carson said, smiling gratefully for the man’s defense of his lovely lady. His smile, however, then grew slightly mischievous. “Should I be suspicious of such chivalry?” he asked.

Rodney looked from the doctor to the knight, his curiosity piqued. John, however, only appeared confused.

“The old ladies are gossiping like bees in a beehive,” Carson elaborated, “about the supposed attachment between yourself and Lady Katherine. Apparently, you have been identified as having a great amount of interest in the ladies of the highest circle in the court.”

The shipwright could not contain his laughter as John began to blink owlishly. “You and Lady Katherine?” Rodney asked incredulously.

John chuckled good-naturedly, though Rodney thought he detected a slight tension in his eyes. “I would not consider myself worthy of so good a lady,” John said lightly. He glanced around and then apparently spotted something that captured his attention. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” he told them distractedly, and then he was off weaving through the crowd.

Both Rodney and Carson stood there in silence, surprised by the knight’s abrupt departure. Finally, Rodney broke the quiet. “Huh,” he said, and then winced inwardly at the inanity of his response. “Well, I wonder what that was all about,” he hurried to add.

He was fairly sure Carson responded to his observation, but something on the dance floor caught Rodney’s eye. Or rather, someone. There, her face alight with laughter, was Lady Samantha. She danced proficiently, her gown like a beautifully-shaped cloud swirling around her, as she smiled at something her partner, Master Grodin, had said to her.

Rodney’s eyes, however, quickly became entranced with one particular aspect of her appearance. Gracing her neck was a familiar snowflake pendant, glittering in the bright candlelight.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

About two hours into the ball, Elizabeth was lurking near the windows, trying to hide. She'd danced with everyone from her inner circle, various influential lords (and sometimes their sons), and nearly every ambassador in attendance. Her guests were starting to pay more attention to the food and the wine, and only a handful of couples were still dancing. Elizabeth stayed back in a corner with a glass in her hand, enjoying the cool night air blowing in through the windows. It was very warm inside the ballroom.

She turned to gaze out at the sea, realizing that large flakes of white snow had begun to fall, but Captain Lorne leaned over to her. "My lady, I believe Sir John may wish to speak with you."

Elizabeth looked, and true to Lorne's word, John was standing not far off, looking as though he had something to say. She smiled at him and nodded, and he came forward and bowed. "Are you enjoying Solstice Eve, Sir John?" she asked.

He nodded. "I admit, this is merrier than I would have expected from such a chilly night."

She laughed. "Believe me, sir, the weather has not reached its coldest point yet," she replied. "I am anxious to see how you react to channel being covered in ice. I do hope your constitution is up to such a chill."

John bristled, which only increased Elizabeth's merriment. She sipped absently at her wine while they watched each other in comfortable silence. Until this point they had not spoken during the ball, but Kate had explained to her that John had done her a great favor earlier. "I understand you rescued Lady Kate from that unfortunate man," she continued quietly, nodding toward the Dorandan ambassador, who was practically unconscious at one of the buffet tables.

He shrugged a little. "I believe she would throw herself into a den of lions for you, Majesty," he replied, "literal or otherwise. That kind of loyalty is something I admire."

Elizabeth nodded slowly, remembering the tale he had related to her upon his return to Atlantis. Somehow she suspected that loyalty meant a great deal to John of Sheppard, more than even he was willing to admit.

He blinked a few times and let the moment pass. "May I be bold and ask for the honor of the next dance, my lady?" he asked, holding out his hand to her.

Before she gave it much thought, she set her glass aside and placed her hand in his. One song was ending and the next beginning. Elizabeth knew that Daniel and Lord George would be happier if she avoided Sir John's company in public altogether, but she did not quite feel it fair to do so. Besides, when he looked at her as he did while setting his arm about her waist and beginning the slow waltz, she found herself unwilling to resist.

As they moved through the steps, they stared deeply into each other's eyes as though held by a spell. A whole conversation could pass between them wordlessly, she thought, and the idea was terrifying and overpowering and exhilarating. There was something about her relationship with this man which she did not understand, and for now she could not look away.

"You look lovely tonight, my lady," he said.

Elizabeth felt a blush rising on her cheeks, and she quietly answered, "Thank you, my lord."

She saw the confusion in his eyes, and his hand tightened around hers. "Why do you call me that?" he asked.

"It is difficult to call you anything else," she replied. "Whatever the crown of Caldora may have decreed about you, you are a noble man. I find it strange not to address you as such, and I have since I met you." She paused, remembering the first time the honorific had slipped from her tongue, the night before her coronation. John had been startled by it then, but at the time he was attempting to conceal his identity. "Does it make you uncomfortable?" she asked.

At length, he shook his head. "Not from you."

They danced a little longer in silence, and when it had concluded, she asked him to take her to Jack's side, as he was the only one of her advisors who was unengaged at the time. They walked slowly together, and Elizabeth looked down at the floor. "Many of our Solstice traditions involve spending time with family," she explained. "Tomorrow my cousin and I are hosting a dinner for some of our friends. I would appreciate your company then."

They paused, and John laid his hand over hers. "I would be honored, my lady."

"I know you are not familiar with our customs here," Elizabeth continued, "but it is traditional for friends and loved ones to exchange gifts at Solstice. You would hardly be expected to participate on such short notice–"

"Majesty," he said, interrupting her gently, "Lady Teyla explained some of this to me. I understand."

"Good," she replied, nodding. "Good. It should be a pleasant afternoon."

"I will be looking forward to it."

By then Jack had come to them, and John excused himself, kissing her hand. When Elizabeth looked up at Jack, he made a sour face. "That man will be the death of us all," he remarked.

Elizabeth gave him a stern look. "He is a good man, Jack."

"And a better dancer than me."

She smirked just a little. "I might not go that far."

* * *

  
Though there were still people dancing and drinking and eating at the ball, Carson decided, two hours before dawn, that the queen and her ladies needed to go to bed, and he was quite willing to lean on his authority as royal physician to enlist help from the men of her inner circle. Fortunately, the girls proved more compliant than usual, and he had little trouble persuading them to retire to the royal wing of the palace.

Very few men would be admitted to the queen's private chambers so late at night for anything short of an emergency, Carson knew. The only other man besides himself was the captain of the guard, who was indeed standing near the doorway, fighting off a yawn. Carson had insisted on administering a concoction of honey and herbs to the queen before she retired, in order to soothe her throat after the strain of the crowded ballroom.

Kate and Laura were also sipping the drink, though Kate was still moving about the room, setting things away. All three women were still rehashing the details of the party despite their raw voices and tired expressions.

"I believe Solstice has a new queen, my lady," Laura said with a wicked smile in Kate's direction.

"Oh?" Elizabeth said, eyes widening. "What did I miss?"

Laura sat forward eagerly. "Apparently, by night's end, all the chatter in the room was about our sweet Kate and a certain knight lately come into your majesty's service from a far-off land."

Elizabeth laughed, and Kate rolled her eyes. Captain Lorne, Carson noted, stiffened, his face darkening. Laura had told him this morning that some sort of unofficial understanding now existed between the guardsman and Kate, so he was unsurprised at the man's reaction. If rumors such as those had been voiced about Laura, he would have been furious, regardless of any official engagement or no.

"It seems that two dances, a few conversations and a rescue are all that is needed within the court to produce tales of a torrid, hidden romance," Laura said with a smirk and dismissive wave of the hand, as though brushing off the rumors uncaringly. Though, she did glance at Kate. "Why did you leave the room with him anyway?"

Kate shrugged. "After my intimacies with the ambassador, I needed a moment to collect myself," she said, not looking at Laura directly. Carson had only heard the details after the fact, and had been spared the pleasure of meeting the man at all, being only a lowly physician and not worthy of much notice within such company. He was all too happy to preserve that fact, for the intrigues of court were nothing he wanted any part of.

Laura was still chuckling, but Elizabeth appeared to have caught the tension in Lorne and she frowned. "Perhaps something should be done tomorrow," she said slowly. Carson watched her catch Kate's eye and nod fractionally towards the door. "Amusing though it may be to us, I do not wish such reports to be bandied about casually and freely. Not while it could end up tarnishing your reputation, Kate."

Kate stood up straight, her eyes flashing with irritation. "I thank you for the concern, my lady, but I imagine that time will set all to right. When it is seen that I do not mark Sir John with any particular favor, and that he doesn't seek to ingratiate himself to me, the speculation will die down." Lorne wasn't looking at Kate and her eyes narrowed further. "Besides, it seems obvious to me the advantages of this."

That caused him to look up in surprise.

Elizabeth's lips twitched. "What advantages would those be?" Carson suspected the queen already knew the answer.

Kate sat next to Laura, accepting her mug of the honeyed drink and speaking as though discussing the weather. "While all the court focuses their attention on an attachment that does not exist, it will divert attention away from other subjects which are perhaps better kept out of the public view for the time being."

She was talking not only about herself and Lorne, Carson knew, but also the gossip that had been circulating about Elizabeth and her reasons for bestowing such favor on Sir John.

Laura burst into renewed giggles at this, and Lorne finally looked properly embarrassed. Carson leaned over and squeezed Laura's shoulders, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "Majesty, my ladies, as your physician I believe it is well past the hour for you to retire for the night, if you have any hope of waking by noon tomorrow."

Laura pressed a quick kiss to his hand and she got up to assist Elizabeth. Carson gathered up his bag and grabbed Captain Lorne's arm. The young man was looking at Kate with his heart in his eyes. "Come on, lad, you too. Off with you and let the ladies have their beauty sleep."

* * *

  
Daniel had thrown off the heavy layers of formal attire by the time Jack sauntered into his friend's rooms after the ball was over. Teal'c was with him, looking somewhat disapproving of the bottle of whisky Jack was carrying. The Jaffa weren't drinkers by nature, possibly because alcohol seemed to have little effect on them. Jack and Daniel had often met thus, after some major function, talking over what had happened and where it might lead. Jack resolutely refused to call it gossiping. There was little about the inner workings of Atalan's court Teal'c did not already know, so his presence would pose no risk and might help keep them from overindulging.

Though in the past, Teal'c being present had usually led directly to overindulging, as there was someone around to prevent anything profoundly stupid from happening.

The three of them settled down. Jack poured the liquor into small glasses and the three of them toasted each other once. Jack propped his feet up on Daniel's desk, earning himself a half-hearted glare, but Daniel's thoughts were clearly someplace else.

"Did you hear the rumor circulating through the room by the end of the ball?" he asked.

"You are referring to the speculation that Sir John intends to court Lady Katherine?" Teal'c said in his usual solemn way.

Daniel nodded, glancing at Jack. There was an almost hopeful expression on his face, but it quickly vanished as Jack looked at him. "You believe it is wishful thinking," Daniel said, almost pouting.

"No, but it seems you do," Jack retorted.

"They were seen together many times, and Sir John did escort her out of the ballroom," Teal'c put in.

"Yes, but he wasn't the first man to take her out of the room this evening," Jack said.

Daniel shot him a look. "That fat bastard from Doranda hardly counts, Jack. And I expected you to be far more upset about that."

"Believe me; I fully intend to speak to the ambassador's attendants about watching how much he consumes at these things. If anything even the least bit unpleasant had happened to Kate, I would have strung him up by his balls over the front gates." Jack swallowed the rest of his drink and poured another. "But I wasn't referring to that."

Daniel frowned, his forehead folding in on itself in a familiar way. "Who?"

"Lorne," Jack said with a grin.

Teal'c looked thoughtful. "You believe some attachment exists between her and the captain of the guard?"

Jack smothered an outright laugh, because the panic-stricken look on Daniel's face was too funny. "I think the last few weeks her eyes have been turning towards him far more than they were before. And those two weren't exactly fooling anyone to begin with, except maybe themselves."

Daniel rested his head in one hand. "Marcus is courting Kate. That explains..." he sighed.

"Explains what, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel reached for the decanter. "Kate and Elizabeth were giggling over something the other night when I joined them for supper. I thought it safer for my sanity not to ask." He downed almost his entire glass of whisky at once and looked at Jack blearily. "You're sure?"

Jack shrugged, sipping his own drink. "More or less." It was possible whatever attraction was happening would die out over time. Lorne was a serial flirt, and all three of the girls had been much sheltered from male company over the years. Though, that suggested to Jack that if Kate was going to enter into any kind of transient fancy for Marcus Lorne, it would have happened and ended already. And he knew Kate to be an unusually deliberate person, especially for a girl of nineteen. "I always thought Laura would be our worst problem when it came to dealing with suitors."

"You are fortunate to have her settled so early with a respectable partner."

Jack wished Carson Beckett the best luck in the world. He was going to need it.

Daniel was rubbing his temple. "Except once they're married, who knows what information she'll be passing along to Elizabeth and Kate," he muttered.

Jack froze.

"And Marcus, who has bedded a goodly portion of the women in court, is romancing Kate. While Elizabeth..." Daniel began, and then stopped.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, and Jack could have sworn his old friend was mocking them both.

Daniel drained his glass, refilled his own and then Jack's and then wagged the half-empty bottle. "Is there more of this?"

* * *

  
Elizabeth woke by noon, but only barely.

The previous night's snow had brought with it a deep chill. She knew from living in such a clime for all her life that she would tire of winter before it was over, but when she rose from the bed and looked out at the sea of white that blanketed the courtyard below her room, she had nothing but love for her home and all its qualities.

She looked back across the room and saw that Kate and Laura were still soundly asleep. They had all had a terribly long night, and Elizabeth knew that with the evening's bonfire on the mainland, they were not likely to sleep at normal times for another day yet. But she found herself feeling strangely mischievous, so she walked back to the bed very quietly and yanked the covers off them both.

Kate blindly grasped at the now-missing blankets, but Laura shrieked when the cold air hit her body. She sat up, alert immediately, and her eyes narrowed when she saw Elizabeth with her fists full of blankets. Elizabeth realized then that she had not quite thought this through to its logical conclusion, and it should not have surprised her when Laura flung a pillow at her head.

Within minutes, all three of them were engaged in an all-out war with the bed linens as their arsenal, and in short order there was a banging on the door. Laura took advantage of Elizabeth's momentary distraction and swung a pillow at her, nearly knocking her off the bed just moments after she'd climbed back on.

Elizabeth collapsed into a fit of giggles then, and the door opened. "Majesty, are you –" Lorne began, but stopped himself at the sight of all three in a state of undress. His face getting red, the captain slowly backed out of the room. "My apologies, my lady," he muttered as he drew the door shut.

The three looked at each other and began giggling again.

Before long, Kate took the pillows away from Laura and started pushing her and Elizabeth out of bed. "Come," Kate said. "Your Majesty has business to attend before tonight's supper and the bonfire."

Elizabeth pouted, even as she got out of bed again. "It is cruel to expect anyone to work on a holiday such as this."

"You could decree that no work is to be done on Solstice," Laura suggested.

"Or you could drink a little less wine next year," said Kate.

Elizabeth decided then that it was not worth it to protest that she had hardly been inebriated the night before. It turned out to be a good decision, for when her advisors arrived for their daily conference, it seemed quite evident that Daniel and Jack had had far too much alcohol either during or after the festivities, and Sir Jacob and Lord George were greatly enjoying themselves needling the younger men about holiday overindulgences.

For that reason, among others, Elizabeth kept the meeting brief. As it was, there was not much official business to be conducted. Most of it consisted of holiday greetings from various dignitaries, both within Atalan's borders and without. At the end of the meeting Elizabeth bade the gentlemen to prepare themselves for the Solstice feast, or in Daniel and Jack’s case to have a short nap first, and she herself went back into her rooms both to dress for the meal and to gather up her gifts for her guests.

The feast was a small one, if Elizabeth's memories were anything to judge by. When she was very small, her parents had hosted a grand supper that had included the entire house of Langford and the families of her father's strongest allies. But Elizabeth had wanted this to be comfortable and familial, so she had surrounded herself with dear friends.

The meal passed pleasantly, and even Sir John was coaxed into entertaining them with tales of his travels as he and Jack were practically engaged in a battle to see which of them could make the girls laugh the most. Then as the dishes were cleared from the table, they all began to bring out their gifts to each other.

Elizabeth had expected John to seem awkward and out of place during this, but in the few times she looked at him she found him watching her, a look on his face that she could not describe. A wistful happiness, perhaps, but there was something else in his eyes as he watched her and everyone else.

Carson had given Laura a pretty little box, likely some invention of the Asgard, which played a folk song that had originated in southern Atalan, not far from Laura's birthplace. In exchange, Laura had procured for her betrothed a rare flowering plant with some medicinal qualities, one which Carson had spoken of more than once. Kate had in her pile of presents a package that was unmarked, but when she opened it to find a beautifully carved ornament for her hair, there was no question as to its giver. The soft look of pleasure on Kate’s face would have answered the question in any case.

Elizabeth thought of the book of Iolanian fairy tales, of the letter now in her box of most private keepsakes, and folded her hands in her lap.

Seated next to her, Daniel touched her hand gently. "Cousin?"

Elizabeth pressed her lips together and shook her head. "It is nothing," she said.

She could tell by the look on his face that he knew she was lying, but he merely changed the subject. "You've yet to open my present," he said, with a small smile.

Daniel had always had a talent for gifts, and Elizabeth had been saving his. She smiled at him and said, "Let me give one more away and I shall open yours."

He nodded at her, and Elizabeth picked up a small parcel as she rose from her chair. While most everyone watched her, she approached Sir John and held it out to him. He looked surprised, but took it wordlessly and began to unwrap it. "Happy Solstice," she said quietly as he drew the objects out.

She had to resist the urge to wring her hands or otherwise fidget as John turned the gloves over in his hands. They were dark brown leather, with the crest of Atalan embossed on the tops of the hands, and they were lined with fur. Elizabeth had a similar pair in white, and her guards were often seen wearing such gloves in winter, though theirs were black. When she had sent Kate to commission them, her friend had seemed surprised, but she hoped they would serve as a gift of contrition, and a reminder that she did value his friendship and welcome his service.

"I hope they fit," she said. "But I assure you, they will be warm."

He slipped on one glove and then the other, holding his hands up for her approval. They fit very well, and Elizabeth grinned. "I would not wish for your hands to freeze," she teased.

"Now we must only worry about the rest of me," he replied in kind. Then he pulled the gloves off and said, "May I be excused for a moment, Majesty? There is something I need to retrieve."

Elizabeth was curious, but nodded. He hurried out after a glance at Kate, and Elizabeth returned to her seat. She did indeed have one gift left, her cousin's gift. After a glance at him, she pulled the wrapping from the present and found inside a necklace, a large ruby pendant on a chain of gold. She gasped when she lifted it and saw it sparkle in the light. "This is beautiful, Daniel," she said breathlessly. "Whose was it?"

"It is yours, Elizabeth," he replied gently. "Made for you. The jewels you have inherited are precious indeed, but I wanted you to have something of your own."

She could not think of anything to say to that, so she put her arms around him and hugged him tightly for a moment. Daniel took the necklace and placed it around her neck. Red was a color she wore often, and she had no doubt that she would wear this necklace frequently as well. It was a lovely piece, and one she was sure she would be proud to pass down to a daughter of her own someday.

The gift-giving had wound down by then, and Sir John's absence was starting to feel conspicuous. "Kate," Elizabeth said, leaning over to her friend, "why did Sir John look at you before he left?"

Kate smiled enigmatically. "All in good time, my lady."

Elizabeth did not have to wait long, however, as the door was flung open again shortly thereafter and she heard a high-pitched yipping sound. Startled, she rose and faced the door, and started laughing almost immediately. There was Sir John, his arms full of a small white puppy that was trying very enthusiastically to lick his face.

She covered her mouth while others joined in with the laughter. John had a very satisfied smile on his face. "I have long been of the belief that every young woman should have a puppy," he explained. "And I was told that your Majesty delights in unusual gifts."

Elizabeth lowered her hands, smiling broadly. She glanced at Kate, thinking she knew what the root of some of the rumors about Kate and John was, and then reached out for the pup. "What is its name?" she asked.

John handed the puppy over to her and laughed himself as Elizabeth's face got thoroughly licked in ecstatic welcome. "Her name is Sedge," he replied. "I am not sure why, but I did not ask the boy in Athos who named her."

Elizabeth settled the squirming puppy into one arm and reached out to touch his hand. "Thank you, John," she said softly. "She is perfect."

He fairly beamed at her, lifting her hand and kissing it in that manner which made something in her stomach flutter. They watched each other for a few moments longer, her hand still in his, as though they were unaware of others in the room with them. But then her new pet barked again, pulling her attention away, and they both began to laugh again. It felt good to hear him laugh with her, after everything that had passed between them. This Solstice was a day of forgiveness for them, it seemed, and Elizabeth had never felt more grateful for the holiday.

 

* * *

Solstice Night, being the longest night of the year, was traditionally marked by a large bonfire. The groundskeepers in the palace had been assembling kindling for over two weeks, which had been transported over the bridge to the mainland the day before. It waited in a grand display on top of a small rise, far enough from the water that it was away from the worst of the winds. John suspected that this location had been used for such public events for some time. Stone benches were placed in several rows to one side of the hill, and if the queen appeared where he expected, the fire and the stones would stand against the backdrop of the palace, visible over the water, illuminated by the last lingering rays of the sun.

John found it slightly backwards that in Atalan, where the weather was so cold in the winter, it was Solstice Night which was celebrated so extensively. In Caldora, the Midsummer holiday was far grander. He glanced down as he drew his cloak more securely about him. The fur-lined gloves the queen had given him in the afternoon were keeping his hands warm, at least.

Murmuring rose in volume and he knew Elizabeth's carriage and escort were nearing. The land bridge that connected Atlantis with the mainland had been open, but on land, throngs of people had gathered along the roads leading to this place. The young queen had not been seen in public often since her coronation, and usually those appearances had taken place in Atlantis. This was the first chance many of the common folk would have to see her.

John stood near Lord Jonathan, who had arrived early to ensure the soldiers and guardsmen were arranged to his satisfaction. John had been surprised when the older man had waved him over to stand with the knot of nobles and dignitaries (but not the ambassador from Doranda, thankfully) who were given a somewhat privileged position near the fire and the stone seats, but he said nothing.

The crowd began to cheer. Along the road, lined with soldiers, horses appeared, surrounding an open carriage. Elizabeth was enthroned in the rear, seated by herself. She waved and smiled graciously to the people. Her cousin and Kate and Laura were with her. Lord Daniel aided her in stepping down from the carriage, and Lord George and the rest of the queen's inner circle queued up behind her as they walked up the rise to the waiting fire.

John could not help a smile as he saw a small ball of white fur in her arms, which she handed to Kate before she stepped up onto the first stone bench with the assistance of Lord Daniel. She waited a moment for the crowd to settle, her face serene in the red light.

As the sun slipped below the horizon, Elizabeth recited a traditional prayer to the Ancestors as heads bowed around the courtyard, thanking them for watching over Atalan and praying their protection for the new year. She then accepted a torch from one of the soldiers. She threw the torch onto the pile of wood and kindling. The fire had been carefully prepared, and the flames began to lick along the edges of the bonfire almost immediately, causing the assembly to cheer again.

People around him began to sing, their voices taking up a melody he recognized, though the words were slightly different than the version he knew. As more and more voices joined in, the sound sent chills through him that had nothing to do with the cold. He looked at the crowd gathered around the bonfire, nobles and commoners alike. Some were holding hands or embracing, others merely stood in small groups. John let the music wash over him, his eyes following sparks from the fire as they leapt from the wood into the air and were carried away into the darkening sky. High above, the blue faded to blackness, and he saw the circle of stars that marked the zenith of the heavens. The cold air was so clear, for a moment he almost felt as though he could reach up and touch the bright skies.

His gaze dropped, resting on the queen, to see her also staring up toward the sky as he had been. She held her cousin's hand, singing the traditional song as if to herself.

Applause broke out at the end of the carol. The official circle around the queen broke apart as people mingled and exchanged greetings. John saw Lorne watching the crowd warily. Elizabeth smiled and waved again as she sat down on the bench, but made no move to go towards the masses, and the assembled people, though many strained to look at her, made no attempt to push at the barrier of guards.

As some of the people began to sing a different song, John made his way toward the queen. It appeared there were certain traditions of the Atalan holiday he was not familiar with. As he went, he saw young women stepping forward and throwing something towards the fire.

Elizabeth accepted her new pet back from Kate, and as John drew near to her, they both watched as Kate walked forward and raised her hand. She tossed something small into the flames. When she turned back, her expression was subdued, and John noticed she avoided looking towards Lorne, who stood not far behind the queen. The captain's face was carefully blank.

John paused near the bench where Elizabeth now sat. "Majesty, may I join you?" She smiled graciously, and John returned the expression as the puppy wagged her small tail at him. "I wonder if my lady might enlighten me as to what is going on?" he asked. "What are the ladies throwing into the fire?"

Elizabeth's expression looked slightly wistful. "It is tradition for unmarried girls to toss a token into the fire, a ribbon or a lock of hair, in the hopes of the new year bringing them a happy love."

John raised his eyebrows. "But Kate-" he began, but stopped when the queen's eyes flashed at him briefly.

"Lady Katherine is neither wedded nor formally claimed by any man," Elizabeth said quickly and John swallowed. She knew or guessed that he knew Kate's heart was hardly untouched, but for whatever reason they were choosing not to announce the fact.

In a low voice, he observed, "That accounts for the pinched expression on the captain of your Majesty's guard."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Yes, I imagine it would."

John cocked his head. Lady Laura, being betrothed, would not participate, of course. "May I ask why your Majesty is not offering up a token of your own?" He knew as he spoke the words sounded more flirtatious than he intended them, but his intention hardly seemed to matter as something darkened the queen's pretty face alarmingly.

She looked away from him, her fingers chucking the puppy under the chin. He almost did not hear her answer. "It is not customary for widows to participate."

For a long moment, John could not comprehend her. Then he feared his jaw would touch his own knees. He just managed to strangle back a shout by clamping his mouth tightly. Instead he blurted in a whisper, "You were married?"

It hardly seemed possible. True, other women had been married well before her age of eighteen. Perhaps because she seemed to him so young and vulnerable he could not comprehend it. With all that rested on her shoulders, surely the care of a husband would have been too great to burden a girl younger than eighteen with. How in the world had her guardians allowed it?

Elizabeth's eyes were clouded with emotions, too many for him to understand. She nodded, either ignoring or not caring about his rudeness in asking so bluntly. "His name was Simon. We were married on my fifteenth birthday."

Fifteen years old.

That was three years past, not long after he'd been exiled from Caldora, which explained how he had not heard of it, as he'd cared little then for the news of a country he’d long viewed as a rival. Still, he could not wrap his mind around this information. Had she been genuinely courted, or had the marriage been arranged? He could more easily believe the latter, for the thought of her advisors agreeing to a love match was nearly inconceivable now, much less when she was a girl of fifteen.

John tried to imagine her then, a vulnerable princess just coming into womanhood, living in the shadow of the regency and not yet tested by the challenges of her reign. It was difficult to shake the image of the queen he knew from his mind, but in unguarded moments she had shown him that she had fears and worries as much as anyone else. Yet it was another image entirely, of a future that had not befallen her, that filled his thoughts. He could imagine her with child, her belly rounded with life within her, a life which had political consequences that most young mothers would never dream of.

But she had reached her throne with no heir, and no husband. If the goal of the match had been to secure the line of succession, it had failed.

It was on the tip of his tongue to ask another question of her, in particular what had befallen the man to whom she had been wed. But he remembered his manners just in time, curtailing his fierce curiosity. It was not his right to ask.

Elizabeth was not looking at him, but even so, he found that he ached to ease the loneliness and sorrow in her eyes.

The puppy yipped at him questioningly, and John reached to scratch her behind the ears. Then, as surreptitiously as he could, he laid his hand over Elizabeth's on the dog's neck and gave her fingers a quick, gentle squeeze. Elizabeth looked at him as he released her hand, moving to pet the animal again. For a long while they simply stared at each other, speaking nothing and saying everything.

At length, she turned her eyes away, visibly composing herself. "The story is a complicated one, and there are many things about it which I still do not know for certain," she said. His interest to hear more of her marriage must have been obvious, for she continued, "I will be returning to the palace in a little while. If you would ride back with me in my carriage, I will tell you, as best I can, what befell Lord Simon Wallis."  



End file.
